CAF President Matteseppe defended FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has faced considerable criticism. The South African said in Johannesburg, "I admire his passion for football, his deep commitment to global football, and his support for Africa."
Mattepe stated that Infantino played a key role in "expanding opportunities for African national teams on the world stage." The 64-year-old CAF president mentioned that Africa's direct qualification spots for the World Cup have increased by four, with an additional playoff spot. In this World Cup held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Africa has a total of 10 teams participating.
However, Infantino faced increasing criticism during the World Cup, with controversies including the reinstatement of American striker Balogun's suspension, the introduction of water breaks, and the potential expansion of the World Cup to 64 teams. Next year, the Swiss will seek a fourth term.
Africa wields significant influence within FIFA. The 54 member associations of the African Football Confederation (AFC) constitute the largest unified voting bloc among the six continental football federations. CONMEBOL also publicly endorsed Gianni Infantino's re-election in April.
