African Federation Officials Sound Out Grafström Over FIFA Presidency Challenge

Senior figures from African football federations have approached FIFA general secretary Mattias Grafström about potentially standing against president Gianni Infantino, according to reporting by The Guardian. The newspaper said two federation presidents spoke separately with Grafström by telephone last week to assess his interest in entering next year’s FIFA presidential election.

Grafström was reportedly surprised by the approaches and did not commit himself either way. He did not respond to The Guardian’s request for comment. The discussions therefore represent an attempt to identify a possible challenger, not a declared candidacy, and the report said it remains uncertain whether the 45-year-old Swede will emerge as an opponent to Infantino.

The approaches followed Grafström’s initial response to the collapse of FIFA Forward Enterprise, a plan to sell 20 percent of the World Cup’s commercial rights. The Guardian reported that he told FIFA staff in a memo that individuals and difficult episodes pass. He later signed a letter expressing full support for Infantino and subsequently informed employees that chief operating officer Kevin Lamour had been dismissed.

The report also described signs of resistance to Infantino among African associations. As many as 15 federations are said to be prepared to withdraw their support when he seeks re-election next year. That account contrasts with the Confederation of African Football’s statement that its executive committee had unanimously reconfirmed its backing for the FIFA president.

According to multiple sources cited by The Guardian, only four members of CAF’s 21-person executive committee publicly supported Infantino at a meeting on 7 August, while the others did not state a position. The newspaper linked some of the reported dissatisfaction to the decision to stage the Africa Cup of Nations every four years rather than every two, a change some federation officials believe FIFA imposed.

Africa’s voting strength could be important in any contested election. FIFA has 211 member associations, meaning a successful challenger would need 106 votes, while Africa accounts for 54 members. The Guardian reported that Grafström’s work with CAF and African federations since becoming FIFA’s permanent general secretary in May 2024 is viewed by some officials as a potential basis for building wider support, but no formal campaign has been announced.