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Infantino Runs Again; FIFA 2027 Morocco Vote, Iran Visa Revoked

5/1/2026

Summary

Infantino Seeks Re-election

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced he will seek a fourth term at the 2027 Congress.
The election will be on March 18, 2027 in Morocco, 2030 World Cup host, CAF and CONMEBOL backing.
Iran FA chief Mehdi Taj’s visa was revoked over IRGC ties, leading Infantino to say Iran will play in 2026 World Cup despite missing the Congress.
FIFA projects $13.1 billion revenue and will allocate $8 million to each federation.

Summary

Infantino Re-election

Gianni Infantino’s eligibility for a 2027-2031 term rests on a 2022 interpretation that excludes his 2016-2019 term from FIFA’s three-term limit, allowing 15 years.
AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and CAF’s 54 members, holding 101 of 211 votes, pledged support, leaving Infantino without opponents for the 2027-2031 election.
FairSquare filed an ethics complaint against Infantino, creating a legal challenge to his re-election bid.

Summary

Motsepe Backs Infantino

Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe chaired a 29 April 2026 meeting in Vancouver where all 54 Associations unanimously endorsed Gianni Infantino for 2027-2031 FIFA presidency.
The endorsement, announced on eve of the 76th FIFA Congress, underscored Africa’s 54-vote bloc as FIFA’s largest.
Motsepe said Africa gained extra World Cup slots and FIFA Forward funding under Infantino.
Vancouver venue highlighted CAF’s outreach ahead of the 77th FIFA Congress in Morocco.

Summary

FIFA Boosts Funding

FIFA pledged $2.7 billion to its 211 member associations through the FIFA Forward Program for the 2027-2030 cycle.
The Forward Program funding is eight times larger than the amount allocated ten years ago.
The increase expands development assistance beyond the $8 million baseline each federation receives, indicating a broader investment in global football growth.

History

Historical Context

Following the 2015 corruption scandal that forced Sepp Blatter to resign, FIFA convened an extraordinary congress on 26 February 2016 in Zürich, where Gianni Infantino was elected president with 115 votes. Infantino’s first term began then, and his later legal reading of FIFA statutes has sparked debate over how many terms a president may serve.

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Infantino Seeks Re-election

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced he will seek a fourth term at the 2027 Congress.
The election will be on March 18, 2027 in Morocco, 2030 World Cup host, CAF and CONMEBOL backing.
Iran FA chief Mehdi Taj’s visa was revoked over IRGC ties, leading Infantino to say Iran will play in 2026 World Cup despite missing the Congress.
FIFA projects $13.1 billion revenue and will allocate $8 million to each federation.

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