The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has thrown its full weight behind Gianni Infantino’s bid to extend his reign at the top of world football, with all of Africa’s member associations closing ranks around the incumbent FIFA President on the eve of the 76th FIFA Congress.
Meeting in Vancouver, Canada on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, the CAF Member Associations unanimously agreed to support Gianni Infantino to be re-elected as President of FIFA for the period 2027–2031.
The declaration of support, issued just hours before the FIFA Congress opened its doors in the Canadian city, sends an unambiguous message to the global football community: Africa is united behind the Swiss administrator who has led FIFA since 2016.
The Bloc of 54
CAF’s 54 member associations represent the largest single confederation within FIFA’s 211-member structure, making their collective endorsement one of the most consequential in world football’s presidential politics.
A unanimous vote, with no dissent from any corner of the continent, underscores the strength of the relationship Infantino has cultivated with African football over the past decade.
The timing of the announcement, on the eve of the 76th Congress, was deliberate.
The presidential election season is set to formally open at the Congress, with the vote itself scheduled for next year’s FIFA Congress. By moving early, CAF has positioned itself as a kingmaker in what is shaping up to be another decisive chapter in global football governance.
A Decade of Investment
The endorsement does not come out of nowhere. Infantino has made African football a centrepiece of his investment strategy since taking office, and the numbers reflect that commitment.
Through the FIFA Forward Programme, FIFA is estimated to have provided approximately USD 1.28 billion in support to Africa by the end of 2026, including USD 1.08 billion directed specifically to the continent’s 54 member associations.
Beyond financial transfers, Infantino has championed expanded African representation on the global stage. CAF has been allocated nine spots at the FIFA World Cup starting from 2026, with DR Congo making it 10 after qualifying via the inter-continental playoffs.
This marks a significant leap from the five berths Africa was traditionally allocated, and has been a source of considerable goodwill on the continent.
FIFA also planned to open between 20 and 30 FIFA Academies by 2027 as part of the FIFA Talent Development Scheme, which aims to help all countries identify talented players and give them the coaching and facilities they need to shine. The Football for Schools programme, meanwhile, is now active in more than 40 African nations.
Congress in the Spotlight
The gathering in Vancouver takes place just weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the most commercially significant tournament in the sport’s history, kicks off across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
FIFA and Infantino have already moved to shore up relations with World Cup finalists, announcing more preparation funding, a larger prize pot, and federal tax exemptions ahead of what is expected to become the most profitable sporting event in history.
The Congress itself unfolds against a backdrop of intense scrutiny. Infantino’s tenure has seen massive revenue growth for FIFA but has also been marked by controversies, including his close relationship with US President Donald Trump, to whom he awarded the newly created FIFA Peace Prize in December 2025.
Several European associations have been openly critical, and UEFA delegates walked out of a FIFA Congress meeting in May 2025 in protest after Infantino arrived late, citing travel delays from accompanying Trump on a diplomatic tour of the Middle East.
Yet such opposition has done little to dent Infantino’s broader support base. He was elected FIFA President on 26 February 2016 and was subsequently re-elected unopposed for four-year terms in both 2019 and 2023.
If the pattern holds, Africa’s early and emphatic declaration of support suggests a fourth term is already well within reach.
What It Means for African Football
For CAF and its member associations, the endorsement is as much about continuity as it is about gratitude. The trajectory of investment in infrastructure, youth development, and expanded World Cup representation has altered the landscape for African football in ways that were difficult to imagine a decade ago.
Infantino has consistently assured CAF delegates that FIFA will continue to support the continent as a priority, and has highlighted the crucial role African football will play in the future of the game.
With Africa’s blessing firmly secured, all eyes now turn to the 76th FIFA Congress; and the opening salvo of a presidential campaign that, at least from the continent with the most votes, appears to have already been decided.
