Africa: FIFA in Africa - Has Gianni Infantino Really Helped Football Development?
[The Conversation Africa] Gianni Infantino might have backed down from his proposal to sell a minority stake of Fifa to corporate investors and he may be facing a backlash from all sides, but the steady commercialisation of the game continues.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino's tenure has seen the global governing body continue its efforts to commercialise football, particularly in Africa. Gerard A. Akindes, who studies the political economy of African football, sheds light on Fifa's role in the continent.
Fifa serves as the global governing body, setting rules, organising tournaments, and overseeing development through six continental confederations, including Caf in Africa. Caf implements global standards, manages regional competitions, and relies on revenue generated from tournaments and financial support from Fifa.
Historically, schools played a crucial role in developing young African athletes, but government disinvestment, particularly after the 1990s World Bank and International Monetary Fund adjustment programmes, severely weakened football's developmental capacity. Private academies partly filled this gap but often served as export-oriented pipelines, draining talent from the continent.
Fifa's Forward Development Programme, under Infantino, increased subsidies significantly, injecting over US$1 billion into African football since 2016. However, the weight of Fifa funding relative to a federation's total budget varies based on local government subsidies and revenue sources. Financial irregularities have been documented concerning Fifa Forward funds in countries like Togo, Nigeria, and Congo, highlighting transparency challenges.
Akindes points out that African football association presidents and Caf's president have become dependent on Fifa funding, eroding their political autonomy. They have shown little concern over issues like controversial World Cup immigration policies and the selection of Caf's leadership by Infantino.
The effectiveness of Fifa's subsidies depends on how they are managed by national federations. Without investments in governance integrity, competence, domestic league and club infrastructure, and Caf's strategic independence, the funding risks entrenching dependency rather than fostering sustainable self-sufficiency.
While Fifa's talent development programme aims to establish football academies across Africa, questions remain about their impact. Will they address coaching shortages, integrate into domestic leagues, and support national youth tournaments? The first two academies, in Mauritania and Djibouti, only began operations in 2025. Akindes warns that concentrating financial support on elite programmes while neglecting deeper structural challenges perpetuates a donor-recipient aid model, benefiting a narrow segment of the football ecosystem.
Written by urgent.news from AllAfrica's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
