Patrice Motsepe urges caution regarding Gianni Infantino’s future
African football boss Patrice Motsepe has called on football’s governing bodies to be “very careful” when deciding the future of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, reports BritPanorama.
Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), which has backed Infantino, emphasized that the only way to “take out” the FIFA President is through elections.
Europe’s governing body UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and CONCACAF, which oversees football in North America, have accused Infantino of “deception.” This trio reportedly seeks Infantino’s resignation prior to elections scheduled for March 2027.
In Salzburg, where he held talks with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, Motsepe suggested that elections should determine Infantino’s fate. “If anybody has got any problem against anybody, whether it’s Gianni, whether it is anybody else, follow the process, follow the FIFA process, simple as that,” he stated. “If you want to take him out, go for elections; let the 211 member associations decide. Do that and the vote will express whether they’ve got confidence in him or not.” He further noted the importance of allowing the electoral process to unfold, saying, “You’ve got to be very careful. There are elections taking place next year.”
Motsepe also remarked, “I’ve heard so many stories about various issues and am careful to pass judgment on anything. Everybody has a right to be heard. Let’s have a hearing, and a proper forum, a proceeding, a court, or whatever it is, or a tribunal… everybody is entitled to fair judgment, to fair treatment.” He acknowledged existing problems and negativity surrounding the governance of FIFA, but also highlighted Infantino’s willingness to address concerns.
Infantino, who won the FIFA presidency in 2016 and was re-elected in 2019 and 2023, has faced mounting scrutiny following his failed attempt to sell a £3.1 billion stake in the World Cup to private investors, an effort that has provoked widespread backlash across the football community. UEFA has even threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions, while the Football Association (FA) has publicly withdrawn its letter of support for his re-election.
Despite the pressure, Infantino has managed to maintain support from football federations in Africa, South America, and Asia—a coalition that might help him fend off any formal leadership challenge at the upcoming March election. The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), consisting of 11 members, convened recently to discuss FIFA’s proposals, with an official statement anticipated shortly.
As the FIFA presidential election looms, the dynamics emerging within global football governance are becoming increasingly intricate. How these tensions unfold will likely shape the future leadership landscape of the sport.
