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Nigeria yet to declare support for Infantino amid growing FIFA pressure
Nigeria has not officially declared its support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, despite increasing pressure on the Swiss administrator ahead of the next FIFA presidential election.
Infantino has faced sustained criticism over his proposed plans to sell stakes in the commercial rights to the World Cup and other FIFA competitions to private investors. The proposal, which involved creating a commercial subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), was eventually abandoned, but calls for Infantino to resign or be removed from office have continued.
The 55-year-old has been FIFA president since 2016 and has overseen several major tournaments during his time in charge of world football. His position came under particular scrutiny in recent weeks following the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a controversial decision involving the rescinding of a red card shown to United States Men’s National Team player Folarin Balogun.
United States President Donald Trump was also heavily involved in that episode, adding to the criticism directed at Infantino and FIFA.
The dispute over FFE has further widened divisions within international football. A number of national associations and confederations have begun to make their positions known, with some backing Infantino while others have called for changes to FIFA’s leadership.
UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF have taken positions against the FIFA president, with UEFA even threatening to boycott FIFA events. By contrast, CAF and CONMEBOL have offered stronger support for Infantino.
The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has previously rejected reports claiming that it had publicly called for Infantino to step down. The federation said it had never asked the FIFA president to resign and described those reports as false.
However, the NFF has stopped short of publicly endorsing Infantino and has so far maintained a neutral position.
That approach appeared to be confirmed by a recent report from Football Tweet, which published a list of football associations said to have publicly announced their support for the FIFA president. Argentina, Morocco, Qatar, DR Congo, Mexico, Djibouti, the United Arab Emirates, Mauritania, Kuwait, Niger, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Lebanon, Bhutan, Mongolia and the Philippines were included.
Nigeria was not on the list, indicating that the NFF has yet to make an official decision on whether it supports Infantino as opposition to his leadership grows.
There are, however, signs that Nigeria could eventually move towards supporting him. The federation’s decision to distance itself from claims that it wants Infantino to resign may suggest that it is not opposed to the FIFA president.
CAF’s position could also influence Nigeria’s eventual stance. The African governing body is expected to remain supportive of Infantino, while Nigeria’s relationship with CAF may play a part in how the country responds to the wider dispute.
Former NFF president Amaju Pinnick, who remains an influential figure in African and global football, is also closely involved in FIFA matters and could have a role as the situation develops.
For now, though, there is no official confirmation that Nigeria has backed Infantino.
The next FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027. Infantino has already indicated that he plans to stand for another term.