Trump issues backing for Infantino in Fifa civil war, smaller nations in ‘tricky position’
Development funding from game’s world governing body is discretionary, not an entitlement, meaning speaking up risks association’s livelihood
US President Donald Trump highlighted the commercial success of the World Cup when warning football it would be making a “terrible mistake” if Gianni Infantino was forced out, and it may be money worries are exactly what is stopping some from publicly calling for the Fifa chief’s head.
While Uefa, North American governing body Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) can afford to be vocal in their opposition, many of the 211 member associations are not so lucky.
The Philippines highlighted its belief that Infantino’s Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) – and the one-off US$20 million payment that went with it – was actually a good thing when it backed him to remain in charge, but of the 47 associations in Asia it is one of only a few to have come out in support of either side.
In contrast, Hong Kong’s football bosses have maintained a stony silence, and have not responded to repeated requests for comment. Whether they are waiting to see who wins or are afraid the money tap will be switched off is debatable.
Alex Davani, a former deputy general secretary of Football Australia, believes for many member associations in Oceania it is the latter of those two reasons, primarily because development funding from Fifa is discretionary, not an entitlement.
“I don’t think the sort of institutional silence or the quiet coming out of the region is complicity or apathy or anything like that,” the lawyer and sports administrator told Reuters.