Sports
Countries opposing, supporting Infantino ahead 2027 FIFA election
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing growing opposition ahead of the election for his final term in March 2027, with several European football associations withdrawing their support following the controversy surrounding his proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise investment plan.
Infantino’s re-election had appeared largely assured until the plan, which sought to invite private companies to invest in the World Cup, triggered criticism from football authorities.
FIFA subsequently shelved the proposal, while Infantino apologised for errors surrounding the initiative.
He has since secured the backing of FIFA’s senior executives at a crisis meeting in Rabat, Morocco.
The final decision, however, rests with FIFA’s 211 member associations.
Each association has one vote, meaning countries such as San Marino and the Bahamas carry the same voting weight as major football nations including Brazil and England.
Confederations such as UEFA and the Confederation of African Football can endorse candidates and lobby their members, but individual associations ultimately cast the votes.
While UEFA has publicly criticised Infantino, the African football confederation has backed him.
No candidate has formally emerged to challenge him so far, with the deadline for nominations set for November 18.
Nations opposing Infantino
Opposition to Infantino has been concentrated largely in Europe. Finland was among the first associations to withdraw its support, followed by England, Wales and Serbia. Sweden, Greece, Albania, Croatia, Germany Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have subsequently indicated that they will not back the FIFA president’s re-election, PUNCH Online and itv reported Saturday.
Romania and the Czech Republic have also suggested they will not support Infantino, although neither association had formally declared its position at the time of the report.
Jordan is the only non-European country identified as having publicly said it will not support Infantino.
Its football federation is led by former FIFA vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, who accused FIFA’s leadership of blackmail.
He said Jordan had been awaiting money for reaching the final of the FIFA Arab Cup in Qatar in December and claimed he was told that supporting Infantino would help the federation receive the funds.
Prince Ali later confirmed that Jordan had received the outstanding money.
FULL LIST: Nations publicly opposing or withdrawing support
1. Finland
2. England
3. Wales
4. Serbia
5. Sweden
6. Greece
7. Albania
8. Croatia
9. Germany
10. Denmark
11. Netherlands
12. Norway
13. Jordan
Not formally opposed but indicating they may not back Infantino:
1. Romania
2. Czech Republic
Nations backing Infantino
Infantino has also retained support from several associations across different confederations. Qatar, Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Lebanon and Morocco publicly backed him after the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan was withdrawn.
Their support was followed by endorsements from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Indonesia, Bhutan, the Philippines, Mexico, Argentina and Paraguay.
Other associations with a history of supporting Infantino, including Egypt, Niger and Mauritania, have voiced support in recent weeks but stopped short of issuing full endorsements.
Full list: Nations publicly backing Infantino
1. Qatar
2. Sri Lanka
3. Kuwait
4. Lebanon
5. Morocco
6. Democratic Republic of Congo
7. Indonesia
8. Bhutan
9. Philippines
10. Mexico
11. Argentina
12. Paraguay
Nations voicing support but stopping short of full endorsements:
1. Egypt
2. Niger
3. Mauritania
The positions outlined above are based on the associations publicly identified in the report.
With 211 FIFA members entitled to vote and the candidate nomination deadline still ahead, the balance of support could change before the March 2027 election.
Former Super Eagles captain and Al-Ahli star, William Troost-Ekong, has converted to Islam.
Troost-Ekong was said to have recited the Shahadah in Doha, Qatar, where he plays for Qatar Stars League club Al-Ahli, as reported by a Qatari press, “Al-Arab” on Wednesday.
A respected Islamic cleric, Dr Muhammad Salah, also shared a video on his verified Facebook account wherein the defender recited the testimonies.
The 33-year-old defender first moved to the Arab region in the summer of 2024, when he signed for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Khaleej.
He joined Qatari side, Al-Ahli in January 2026 on a one-and-a-half-year contract and has since played 14 matches across all competitions, including a single appearance in the current season.
On the international stage, Ekong won 83 caps for Nigeria between 2015 and 2025, scoring 8 goals.
He reached the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Côte d’Ivoire and was named best player of that edition.
Troost-Ekong also represented Nigeria at the FIFA World Cup and Olympic Games, establishing himself as one of the country’s most experienced defenders of the past decade.
He enjoyed a distinguished international career with Super Eagles, making more than 70 appearances for the Super Eagles.
Senegalese football star, Sadio Mane, has launched a CFA11.7 billion ($20.4 million) agro-industrial project in his hometown of Bambali, southern Senegal, aimed at expanding mango processing and creating jobs.
The project, known as SM10 Agro, was launched on September 19 in Bambali, Sedhiou Region.
The complex will include a processing plant with an annual capacity of 8,500 tonnes of mangoes, producing mango pulp, dried fruit and mango butter.
It will also include a 500-hectare plantation of Kent mangoes.
The project is located in Casamance, Senegal’s leading mango-producing region, where limited processing facilities have contributed to significant post-harvest losses.
Senegal loses an estimated 30 to 45 percent of harvested fruit annually, with poor farming practices, harvesting and transportation challenges, and limited processing outlets among the factors contributing to the losses, Ecofin Agency reported.
Speaking at the launch, Mane said he wanted his legacy to extend beyond football.
“I don’t want to be remembered only for the goals I scored. Before the stadiums, the lights and the victories, there was, of course, Bambali. This is where my dreams began… We want to help create jobs and develop agriculture,” Mane was quoted as saying.
The facility is expected to allow more mangoes to be processed locally, including fruit that may not qualify for export to European Union markets because of phytosanitary requirements.
A 2023 study by the Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rurale, cited by Ecofin Agency, found that existing mango processing facilities in Casamance were concentrated mainly in the Ziguinchor region, while Sedhiou and Kolda remained poorly equipped despite producing local mango varieties.
The study also identified limited access to packaging and labelling services in Casamance as a challenge for processors, forcing some businesses to depend on Dakar for the services.
Mane’s investment comes as Senegal’s mango export industry recovers from recent difficulties linked to fruit-fly infestations and other phytosanitary problems.
Senegal exported about 27,000 tonnes of mangoes in 2021, but export volumes subsequently declined following problems that affected access to the European market.
Exports to Europe reportedly rose to more than 19,000 tonnes in 2026, up from about 14,000 tonnes the previous season, following improved phytosanitary measures, particularly efforts to control fruit flies.
Former Liverpool forward, Mohamed Salah, has been banned from driving for six months after failing to identify the person driving his Rolls-Royce when it was caught speeding in Cheshire, United Kingdom.
Court documents reported by the BBC showed that the vehicle was recorded travelling at 36mph in a 30mph zone in Wilmslow on March 27.
Salah, 34, failed to respond to a notice issued by Cheshire Constabulary requiring information about the driver and did not enter a plea.
He was prosecuted at Warrington Combined Court under the Single Justice Procedure, which allows magistrates to deal with certain cases without a public hearing.
A court spokeswoman said Salah was convicted of failing to provide information relating to the identification of the driver of the vehicle.
He was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay £1,044.
The incident occurred three days after Salah announced his departure from Liverpool at the end of the 2025/26 season, bringing his nine-year spell at the club to an end.
Liverpool had described Salah as oneof the greatest players in the club’s history when it announced his departure on March 24.
Salah scored 257 goals in 442 appearances for Liverpool before leaving the club for Turkish side Trabzonspor after the 2025/26 season.
He currently plays for Trabzonspor in Turkey.
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