Six Arab football unions, including those of Qatar, Egypt, and Morocco, have announced their full support for Gianni Infantino, the President of FIFA, and renewed their trust in his leadership, amid increasing pressure on his presidency due to disagreements over governance, transparency, and a proposed plan to attract private investments to FIFA tournaments. The Arab unions' stance was expressed in a joint statement issued on Thursday, which praised Infantino's efforts in developing global football and expanding opportunities for member unions and regions, as well as the role of the game in promoting cooperation and rapprochement between peoples and communities. The statement was signed by the presidents of the Qatari, Egyptian, Moroccan, Lebanese, Sudanese, and Mauritanian football unions. This Arab stance gains importance within the FIFA framework, as four of the six signatory unions' presidents hold membership in the FIFA Council, namely Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Hani Abu Rida, Fouzi Lekjaj, and Ahmad Yahya. The signatories expressed their intention to continue cooperating with Infantino to support the future of global football, expand participation opportunities, and enhance the contribution of Arab football to the international stage. This support comes at a time when Infantino faces a clear split within the international football system regarding his leadership, as he seeks re-election in March next year. The pressure on Infantino has increased since he proposed a plan to separate FIFA's commercial rights from the World Cup and make a 20% share of them available to private investors. The plan aimed to raise around $4.2 billion, but Infantino later withdrew it following a wave of objections. This support is crucial at this time, as Infantino plays a key role in the future of global football, and FIFA faces multiple challenges in the areas of governance and transparency. Infantino will continue to try to secure his re-election in March next year, and he will try to secure the support of national and confederation unions to continue leading FIFA. This stance will continue to impact the future of global football, and Infantino's future as FIFA President will be determined.
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Infantino receives support from Arab football unions
Arab football unions back Infantino amid FIFA presidency pressure, renew trust in leadership
