{
  "id": 304162,
  "title": "FULL LIST: Nations opposing, backing Infantino ahead of 2027 FIFA election",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/full-list-nations-opposing-backing-infantino-ahead-of-2027-fifa",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-08T10:36:09.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/full-list-nations-opposing-backing-infantino-ahead-of-2027-fifa-election/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Several European football associations, including Finland, England, Wales, Serbia, Sweden, Greece, Albania, Croatia, Germany, Denmark, and WAFCON 2026 nations such as Morocco, South Africa, and Jordan, have withdrawn their support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino ahead of the 2027 election. Jordan's rejection stems from accusations of blackmail by former FIFA vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, who claimed that Infantino's re-election would facilitate the release of funds for Jordan's FIFA Arab Cup final. Nations backing Infantino include Qatar, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Bhutan, the Philippines, Mexico, Argentina, Paraguay, and a few associations like Egypt, Niger, and Mauritania. The final decision rests with FIFA's 211 member associations, each with one vote. The deadline for candidate nominations remains November 18, leaving the balance of support uncertain.",
  "summary": "Gianni Infantino, the current FIFA president, is facing scrutiny over allegations related to his time at UEFA. According to Yahoo Sports, a former employee of UEFA, who was involved in a relationship with Infantino, received a six-figure settlement and funding for an MBA at a business school. UEFA has confirmed that a payment was made and the MBA was funded, but insists that both were permitted under the regulations at the time. Infantino strongly denies the allegations, and a FIFA spokesperson described any suggestion of inappropriate conduct or regulatory breaches as \"categorically untrue\".\n\nThe Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unanimously confirmed its support for Infantino, according to The Island Sri Lanka. CAF's Executive Committee sided with Infantino despite UEFA saying it would boycott future World Cups while he remains in office. CAF president Patrice Motsepe welcomed FIFA's pledge to review processes that led to controversy and stressed the need for good governance and transparency in global football. Additionally, Gianni Infantino received backing from South American football, as reported by Al Jazeera.\n\nSome nations are opposing Infantino ahead of the 2027 FIFA election, while others are backing him, Punch Nigeria reports. However, specific details about the nations and their stances are not provided in the reports.",
  "key_points": [
    "Morocco, South Africa, Jordan oppose Infantino due to allegations of blackmail",
    "Final vote among FIFA's 211 member associations on November 18"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "City AM",
        "title": "Norwegian FA chief Klaveness cools Fifa election talk and takes swipe at Blatter",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/norwegian-fa-chief-klaveness-cools-fifa-election-talk-and-takes-swipe",
        "published": "2026-08-07T11:48:14.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Jakarta Post",
        "title": "Infantino allies rally as Norway FA chief demands FIFA president's resignation",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/infantino-allies-rally-as-norway-fa-chief-demands-fifa-presidents",
        "published": "2026-08-08T03:20:36.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "NFF clears air on asking Infantino to resign as FIFA president",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/nff-clears-air-on-asking-infantino-to-resign-as-fifa-president",
        "published": "2026-08-08T20:25:37.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}