FIFA president Gianni Infantino has said that the "vast majority" of world football is behind him, but conceded that further "dialogue" with UEFA will be necessary if the relationship is to be repaired.
Infantino has been under intense scrutiny since the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal was revealed in July, but has since shored up his position and looks on course to win a fourth and final term as FIFA president in March. The 56-year-old, speaking in Baku, Azerbaijan, for FIFA's inaugural Under-15 World Cup & Festival, has faced repeated calls to quit from UEFA president and FIFA vice president Aleksander Ceferin, as well as Concacaf president and FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani.
Asked whether he is fit to continue as FIFA president and whether he considered resigning after the FFE fallout, Infantino was defiant. "Well, I was elected by 211 member associations from all over the world, and I think what is important is that in an organisation like FIFA there can be different views, different points of view," he told reporters, including The Athletic, in Baku on Saturday. "But if we are serious about democracy, about the democratic process, about believing that everyone has the same vote and the same voice all over the world, that football belongs to everyone, if we are serious about that, then we need to respect as well the views of the vast, vast majority."
Infantino pointed to recent backing from two confederations. "I'm just coming back from Tokyo where the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has fully endorsed me. I was in Cape Verde where all the CAF countries have endorsed me," he said. "I'm speaking to all associations everywhere in the world, there are different points of view. There are different opinions on many topics, on many topics, on the World Cup, the size, the number, the slot allocation, the calendar, commercial matters, everything." The AFC's endorsement comes just over two months after its president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, signed a joint letter with Ceferin and Montagliani calling for Infantino to resign.
UEFA, however, is yet to fall in behind Infantino and has brought a legal case against him in the United States over the FFE proposal, under which FIFA planned to sell stakes in its competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. That legal case remains ongoing.
Ceferin was pictured shaking Infantino's hand at the FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, Switzerland, on October 15, and also attended a FIFA-organised dinner the night before alongside almost all other members of the decision-making body. Despite this, he has remained opposed to Infantino's leadership. Asked how he can reconcile with European football's governing body, Infantino said: "I always said as far as I'm concerned, I'm always there with my arms open, with my mind open, with my heart open to discuss with everyone, to engage with everyone, to see what can be done better for everyone." He added: "We need to recognise that there are processes, there are democratic processes, and you cannot always make everyone happy everywhere... If there are different points of view and different opinions, then we just have to be able to discuss them, to engage, to understand each other, where we are coming from, and maybe sometimes that's a little bit what is missing, the dialogue, the discussion, the culture of debate, the culture of disagreeing as well."
Asked when, and if, he plans to respond to the 42 questions UEFA sent to FIFA, Infantino pointed to the ongoing legal process. "We're working on it and we'll answer, of course, all the questions that are asked, as far as the process allows, as far as we can," he said. UEFA general secretary Theodore Theodoridis had written to FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom on October 19 demanding answers and documents by November 2 on several controversies from Infantino's presidency, including the FFE plan, the Folarin Balogun disciplinary case, an undisclosed 2024 payment to Infantino, and the independence of FIFA presidential election committee chair Bruno Chiomento.
FIFA's Under-15 Tournament in Baku
Around 3,000 youth footballers from 189 of FIFA's 211 member associations, including Russia, are in Baku for the U15 World Cup & Festival. The tournament, devised by Arsene Wenger, FIFA's chief of global football development, got underway on Saturday. Infantino arrived shortly before 9am local time and watched Spain vs. Chile before switching to Argentina's match against Algeria. "It is a celebration," Infantino said of the event. "It is beautiful to see these boys from all over the world, many of them taking a plane for the first time, traveling for the first time. I think it's important for FIFA to bring everyone together on one side. On the other side as well, for all our member associations to invest in youth development."
