"What is important for us is that Africa progresses in the development of football." That's Benin Football Federation President Marcellin Bocove, speaking at the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup in Poland — and it cuts straight to the heart of why Infantino still has a political lifeline despite the governance storm surrounding him.
The FIFA Forward Enterprise debacle — a proposal to sell a $20 billion stake in World Cup commercial rights to private investors — nearly ended the Swiss administrator's tenure. UEFA pushed back hard, the plan was scrapped in late July, and calls for Infantino's resignation followed. He apologised for "errors." Then, almost immediately, defended the concept anyway.
Not exactly a clean break. But in African football circles, the reaction has been notably muted.
Development over governance
Bocove isn't ready to write Infantino off — or endorse him. "It's too early to answer such a question," he said when asked whether Benin would vote for Infantino in the 2027 election. "We don't know how things will unfold by then."
That's a deliberate non-answer, and a revealing one. African federations are watching results, not process. If investment in African football continues to flow, their votes will likely follow. If it stalls, Infantino's apologies won't count for much.
Gideon Fosu, of the Ghana Football Association's executive committee, was warmer. "The passion for Infantino to just want to help develop football in Africa — for me, is something that I admire." He urged stakeholders to "look beyond setting boundaries" and back the intention to grow the women's game across the continent.
What this means beyond the politics
Four African nations are competing at this tournament — Benin, Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania. Their presence at a global women's youth competition is itself a data point in the development argument. Whether Infantino deserves credit for that trajectory is debatable. But African officials are clearly framing their calculus around it.
Infantino has declared he'll seek a fourth term in March 2027. With South American confederations also backing him, the numbers still work in his favour — provided African support holds. That support, based on everything said in Katowice, is conditional. Tangible and ongoing investment in football infrastructure is the price. Bocove was explicit: "The needs are there, we have to address them."
The governance row hasn't gone away. It's just been deferred to a ledger that African football officials are keeping very carefully.
