Opinions, analysis and commentary
Qatar and Morocco backed Gianni Infantino in a joint statement on August 13, alongside Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon and Sudan, even as three confederations representing 143 of FIFA’s 211 members accused him of a fundamental breach of trust. The answer sits in hosting history, not politics. Qatar staged the 2022 World Cup under his presidency and still keeps him close, while Morocco co-hosts 2030 with Spain and Portugal. Both hold FIFA Council seats tied to Infantino, and both stood to gain from the ownership plan UEFA rejected.
Three confederations moved together on August 10. UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF accused Infantino of a fundamental breach of trust, a bloc representing 143 of FIFA’s 211 member associations. UEFA’s boycott held even after Infantino’s August 6 apology, since it carried no binding assurances. Ireland pulled its support letter on August 13, the same day the Arab federations moved in the opposite direction.
Saudi Arabia has stayed on the sidelines, describing itself as having refrained from taking a position. The map below shows exactly where every major federation stood as of August 14.
| Federation | Public Stance on Infantino | Strategic Reason |
| Qatar FA | Full support, August 13 joint statement | Infantino lived in Doha; Qatar provides his private jet; 2022 World Cup host; breaks from AFC’s official position |
| Morocco FA | Full support, August 13 joint statement | 2030 World Cup co-host with Spain and Portugal, Lekjaa sits on the FIFA Council |
| Egypt, Mauritania, Lebanon, Sudan | Full support, August 13 joint statement | CAF party line plus individual FIFA Council seats for Egypt and Mauritania |
| UEFA, 55 nations | Boycott maintained, lost confidence stance | FFE bypassed consultation, binding assurances not met, Norway seeking resignation |
| CONCACAF and AFC | Officially against, individual nations breaking ranks | Mexico’s FMF, Qatar, Indonesia and Kuwait are individually backing Infantino |
The joint statement thanked Infantino for his sustained efforts to advance football globally. That line reads like diplomacy, but the substance behind it is concrete. Qatar hosted the 2022 World Cup, the first ever held in the Middle East, while Infantino was president.
He lived in Doha during much of that build-up and still travels on a private jet Qatar provides him. Morocco carries its own stake as co-host of the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal. Both federations built their hosting arrangements under Infantino’s watch, long before the FFE dispute ever surfaced.
Qatar and Lebanon broke from the AFC’s official position, the same pattern Mexico’s federation followed inside CONCACAF. Infantino keeps close ties to both nations, and that closeness shaped their decision more than any formal FIFA process did.
For Qatar and Morocco, the calculation is structural rather than emotional. Their hosting arrangements were approved under Infantino, their Council members are personally aligned with him, and the scrapped forty million dollar FFE payment would have benefited them exactly as much as any European federation.
UEFA set two conditions before restoring confidence. The Enterprise plan needed to be abandoned entirely, which happened on August 1, and Infantino needed to give binding assurances against any future private ownership push. That second condition remains unmet.
CONCACAF wants what it calls a comprehensive reckoning, while FIFPRO is pushing for player voting rights on the FIFA Council itself. None of the Arab statements address any of these three conditions directly. Their support backs Infantino’s leadership overall, and that gap is exactly what makes November 18 decisive.
Three confederations now stand against him. UEFA’s 55 votes, CONCACAF’s 41 and most of the AFC’s 47 could combine into a bloc of more than 130 votes opposing his return.
CAF’s 54, CONMEBOL’s 10 and the six Arab federations give Infantino a base approaching 106 votes if only one rival challenger enters the race. He needs 106 for a simple majority, or 141 if three or more candidates split the field. Four sitting FIFA Council members, from Qatar, Egypt, Morocco and Mauritania, are now formally in his corner.
That is precisely why the Qatar-Morocco FIFA Infantino support reasons matter more than any apology Infantino has issued so far. It is the arithmetic, not the diplomacy, that decides whether he survives March 2027.
Do Qatar’s jet and Doha ties explain more about FIFA politics than any official statement ever will? Tell us where your federation should stand before November 18.
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Why are Arab countries supporting Gianni Infantino?
Qatar and Morocco back him because of direct hosting ties, not simple loyalty. Qatar staged the 2022 World Cup and still supplies Infantino’s private jet, while Morocco co-hosts 2030 with Spain and Portugal.
What is the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan?
It was a $20 billion subsidiary offering federations a stake in exchange for funding. Every one of FIFA’s 211 members was offered $40 million conditional on approval, before UEFA’s boycott forced Infantino to scrap it on August 1.
Which countries oppose Gianni Infantino at FIFA?
UEFA, CONCACAF and most of the AFC have taken a formal stance against him. Those three confederations represent 143 of FIFA’s 211 members, and Ireland rescinded its support letter on August 13.
When is the next FIFA presidential election?
The 77th FIFA Congress votes on March 18, 2027, in Rabat. Nominations close on November 18, 2026, and Infantino needs 106 votes for a simple majority to secure another term as FIFA president.
What is UEFA’s stance on Gianni Infantino?
UEFA has kept its lost confidence position despite Infantino’s apology. Its conditions were scrapping the FFE plan, which happened, and binding assurances against future private ownership, which still have not arrived.
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