English Premier League
Malawi FA chief backs Gianni Infantino to remain FIFA president
Malawi Football Association president Fleetwood Haiya has given his full backing to Gianni Infantino’s bid to remain as FIFA president, saying the country’s historic qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup is a direct result of the governing body’s investment in Africa.
Malawi’s women’s team have reached the semi-finals of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which is currently being held in Morocco, and have secured a place at the tournament in 2027 for the first time.
Speaking exclusively to Reuters on Wednesday, Haiya said the achievement would not have been possible without Infantino’s vision and his focus on increasing opportunities for less privileged football associations.
“If we look at what Infantino has achieved in developing football for the less fortunate associations and for Africa in general, I would be very surprised if any African association did not support him,” Haiya said.
Infantino is facing growing pressure, but Haiya said his support was based on the FIFA president’s commitment to equal opportunities, grassroots football and the women’s game.
“He believed in us when we spoke to him about our projects, and as a result Malawi qualified for the World Cup for the first time,” Haiya said.
“What more could one need from a president than someone who listens to him and believes in his vision?”
Haiya also addressed the controversial proposal recently withdrawn by Infantino, which involved selling a share of the commercial rights to the World Cup for $4.2bn.
He said withdrawing the proposal was the correct decision because of governance concerns, but argued that it should be replaced with another system capable of providing financial support to poorer football associations.
A proposed grant of $40m would have been a “game-changer” for Malawi, Haiya said.
“Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world, and we suffer from serious infrastructure problems,” he added.
“If you saw the pitches where our girls who qualified for the World Cup train, you would be shocked. We have the talent but lack the resources.”
Malawi’s run at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations has brought the country its first qualification for the women’s World Cup, highlighting the gap between its footballing potential and the facilities available to players.
Haiya said his support for Infantino was “unchanging and unwavering”. He welcomed the prospect of a democratic contest in the FIFA presidential election next March, but challenged any potential challenger to set out what they would offer Malawi.
“Anyone who wants to challenge Infantino should declare their intentions and explain what they will offer Malawi,” he said.
“So far, I am satisfied with the way he is running FIFA. The evil you know is better than the evil you do not know. If you asked me now, I would say I support Infantino and I will nominate him.”