FIFA President Gianni Infantino traveled to Colombia on Friday to attend the presidential inauguration of Abelardo de la Espriella. During his visit, the FIFA leader received backing from multiple South American football organizations, providing a show of support during a turbulent period for world football’s governing body.
Several prominent football confederations expressed their confidence in Infantino. Officials from the South American Football Confederation, along with representatives from Argentina, Paraguay, Venezuela, and Ecuador, publicly endorsed the FIFA chief. The CONMEBOL president acknowledged Infantino’s contributions while emphasizing the importance of dialogue among football’s leadership, stating that disagreements need not prevent continued cooperation.
Infantino’s presence in Colombia came as FIFA faced significant criticism over a controversial proposal to open the World Cup to private investment. Although the organization withdrew the plan, European football authorities maintained objections. The FIFA president, who has led the organization since 2016 and plans to seek a fourth term in next year’s presidential election, declined to address questions about whether FIFA’s challenges had been resolved.
During his visit, Infantino attended a children’s football event in Cali, where he spoke about football’s unifying power and referenced the region’s rich sporting heritage. His visit to attend de la Espriella’s non-traditional inauguration ceremony in Cali rather than the capital underscored his engagement with regional leadership.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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