Senior figures in African football have approached Fifa general secretary Mattias Grafström to gauge his interest in challenging Gianni Infantino for the Fifa presidency, according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- Senior African football figures have held talks with Fifa general secretary Mattias Grafström, according to the Guardian.
- The talks were to sound out his interest in standing against Gianni Infantino.
- Infantino, 56, is due to seek re-election as Fifa president next year.
- As many as 15 African federations are said to be ready to turn away from Infantino.
- The Confederation of African Football claimed its executive committee had 'unanimously reconfirmed' support for Infantino.
Senior figures in African football have held talks with Fifa’s general secretary, Mattias Grafström, to sound out his interest in standing against Gianni Infantino for the Fifa presidency, the Guardian has reported.
The discussions centre on whether the Swede would be willing to challenge Infantino when the 56-year-old seeks re-election as Fifa president next year. According to the Guardian, those who approached Grafström believe he could unite football’s confederations, saying: ‘They think he can group all the continents.’
The report also indicates that as many as 15 federations in Africa are said to be ready to turn their backs on Infantino at the election, a potentially significant shift in a region that has been an important source of support.
That reported willingness to break ranks sits in contrast with the official position of the Confederation of African Football. Caf has claimed that its executive committee had ‘unanimously reconfirmed’ its support for Infantino, the Guardian noted.
Infantino, described by the Guardian as ‘under-fire’, has not, according to the source material, publicly responded to the reported approach to Grafström. Grafström’s own intentions were not confirmed in the report.
The Guardian did not name the individual federations said to be considering withdrawing their support, nor did it provide a timeline for any decision by Grafström on whether he would formally enter the race.
Why it matters
The Fifa presidency governs the world's most popular sport and its multibillion-dollar tournaments, so any credible challenge to Infantino could reshape football's global leadership. A split between Africa's official backing for Infantino and reported dissent among its federations points to potential instability in one of Fifa's key voting blocs.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Mattias Grafström?
According to the Guardian, Mattias Grafström is Fifa's general secretary and a Swede who has been sounded out by senior African football figures about standing against Gianni Infantino.
When is the Fifa presidential election?
The Guardian reports that Gianni Infantino will seek re-election as Fifa president next year, though the source does not give a specific date.
Has Africa officially withdrawn support for Infantino?
No. The Confederation of African Football has claimed its executive committee 'unanimously reconfirmed' its support for Infantino, even as the Guardian reports up to 15 African federations may turn away from him.