Infantino invited to African summit as he faces challenge to FIFA leadership

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been extended an invitation to attend a two-day Strategy Conference in Cape Verde next month, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). This conference is set to take place on October 7 and 8, following a letter sent by CAF to its member associations, as reported by Reuters and subsequently verified by these same associations. The invitation comes after CAF president Patrice Motsepe, a close ally of Infantino, had previously suggested the idea multiple times.

This summit is particularly significant for Infantino as he faces a potential challenge to his leadership ahead of the upcoming FIFA presidential election next year. CAF's executive committee has expressed its support for Infantino, and several individual African football associations have also pledged their backing, despite the collapse of Infantino's proposal to sell up to 20% of FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors.

This proposal had faced fierce opposition from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF, leading to calls for change at the top of FIFA.

However, Africa, represented by CAF, has not objected to Infantino's plan, indicating a significant endorsement from the continent. With 54 votes out of the total 211 member associations voting if a challenge emerges during the election in Rabat in March, Africa's support is a substantial portion of the total. The 56-year-old Swiss, who has confirmed his intention to stand for re-election, has not faced any potential opposition so far, despite UEFA hinting at their search for a credible challenger.

In addition to the conference, CAF has also arranged a review of the 2026 World Cup, with the national team coaches of every African association invited to participate. This review, led by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who now serves as FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, will cover tactical trends, refereeing, logistical matters, and other field-related issues. FIFA has been hosting such reviews on each continent since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.