Saudi Arabia Breaks Silence to Back Infantino Amid FIFA Turmoil

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is finding himself on increasingly shaky ground. With the upcoming election set for March 2027 in Morocco, doubts are mounting over whether he will manage to hold onto his seat. As global football governing bodies split—some rallying behind him while others push back—Saudi Arabia has now made its stance clear.

The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has officially declared its support for Infantino ahead of the vote.

This marks the first time a major football power has publicly backed Infantino since FIFA was plunged into crisis a month ago over a failed plan to sell off World Cup commercial rights. Notably, the host nation of the 2034 World Cup is standing firm behind the FIFA chief.

In a statement released on social media, SAFF affirmed its backing for Infantino's efforts to rebuild unity across the sport.

"At this time, SAFF supports FIFA President Gianni Infantino and the FIFA leadership as they continue their efforts to restore unity within the football family and promote the growth of the game for the benefit of all," the Saudi body stated.

At the same time, they urged FIFA leadership to address all parties' concerns openly through "direct, face-to-face dialogue."

Infantino notably refrained from convening a meeting of the 37-member FIFA Council—where Saudi official Yasser Al Misehal serves as a member. Instead, he met with most of FIFA’s executive management team in Rabat, Morocco, three weeks ago. FIFA subsequently issued a statement acknowledging missteps while reaffirming support for the president.

Over his decade at the helm, Infantino has cultivated close political and sporting ties with Saudi Arabia and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He also played a key role in steering the 2034 World Cup toward the Kingdom. The two were seen together as recently as last Sunday at a Saudi-backed esports event in Paris.

Saudi Arabia had kept quiet over the past month, even as major continental federations—including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), UEFA, and CONCACAF—voiced sharp outrage against Infantino. They had accused him of "deceit" and a "breach of trust" following a covert attempt to sell a 20 percent stake in a FIFA commercial affiliate to private investors.

Reflecting on FIFA’s eventual decision to backtrack on that deal, the Saudi federation noted: "While these were crucial initial steps, the ongoing divide in global football shows that broader and more direct dialogue is still urgently needed."