- The Confédération Africaine de Football has congratulated Gianni Infantino on a decade of leadership at FIFA
- Patrice Motsepe praised Infantino’s contribution to global football development and growth
- The milestone prompts reflection on CAF’s partnership with FIFA and football progress in Africa and beyond
The Confédération Africaine de Football has congratulated Gianni Infantino on what it described as his outstanding decade of leadership as president of FIFA.
The continental body said the 10-year milestone at the helm of world football’s governing body provides an opportunity for broader reflection on its relationship with FIFA during the period.
A Thursday, February 26, statement on CAF’s website, titled: “CAF congratulates Gianni Infantino on his outstanding 10-year leadership as FIFA President,” highlighted the sentiment.
The president of CAF, Patrice Motsepe, said: “CAF congratulates Gianni Infantino on the excellent leadership that he has provided as FIFA President over the past 10 years and for his enormous contribution to the development and growth of football throughout the world.”
He added: “African Football and world football have a loyal and trustworthy friend and partner in Gianni Infantino. CAF wishes him good health and everything of the best.”
Infantino was re-elected by acclamation in June 2019 for a second term as FIFA president during the organisation’s Congress in Paris.
He initially took charge of FIFA in February 2016 after the departure of disgraced former president Sepp Blatter, standing unopposed for a new four-year term running until 2023.
Infantino had previously won the presidency in 2016 with a decisive victory over Asian rival Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa. He secured 115 votes in the second round of voting at the FIFA Congress, while the president of the Asian Football Confederation received 88 votes.
The Swiss-Italian general secretary of UEFA assumed leadership of FIFA at a time when the body’s image had been severely damaged by scandal.
Sheikh Salman, a member of Bahrain’s royal family, was among the first to congratulate his rival. Prince Ali bin al Hussein of Jordan received 27 votes in the first round but only four in the second, while former FIFA official Jérôme Champagne secured seven votes in the first round and none in the final ballot.
South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale withdrew from the race before voting began.