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CAF President Motsepe defends FIFA's Infantino as 'loyal servant of football'
Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe defended FIFA President Gianni Infantino against criticism, describing him as a 'loyal servant of football'. Motsepe stated that Infantino has made significant contributions to African football and increased the continent's World Cup quota.
Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe issued a strong statement of support for FIFA's controversial president Gianni Infantino. Speaking to journalists in Johannesburg, Motsepe described Infantino as a 'loyal servant of football' and a 'friend of the African continent'.
Motsepe praised Infantino's dedication to football, his efforts to develop the game globally, and his support for Africa. "He has remained loyal to Africa and played a significant role in the development of football on the continent," he said.
The CAF president stressed that Infantino has been a key figure in increasing the chances of African teams on the international stage. During his tenure, Africa's World Cup quota was increased by four direct qualification spots, bringing the total to 10 teams. As a result, Africa was represented by a record number of teams at the 2026 tournament.
The Italian-Swiss Infantino faced intense criticism during the 2026 World Cup over issues such as the suspension of US forward Folarin Balogun's ban, the implementation of water breaks, and the idea of expanding the tournament to 64 teams.
Infantino succeeded Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2016 and is aiming for re-election for a fourth term in 2027. Africa, with its 54 national federations, constitutes the largest voting bloc within FIFA.
In April, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) became the first continental federation to openly support Infantino's re-election, and CAF soon joined that endorsement.
Meanwhile, discontent is growing among some European federations. Spain's La Liga President Javier Tebas said this week that Infantino's 'time is up'. Speaking to Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tebas claimed that a 'fundamentally flawed system' has allowed Infantino to run world football for a decade.
Tebas took aim at the World Cup, saying, 'They are destroying the football industry, which provides employment for tens of thousands of people, for the sake of an event that lasts only 40 days and involves a small number of players.'
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