Senior figures within African football have initiated contact with Fifa general secretary Mattias Grafström to gauge his interest in challenging Gianni Infantino for the presidency. While the Confederation of African Football (Caf) has publicly claimed its executive committee “unanimously reconfirmed” support for the incumbent, as many as 15 African federations are reportedly prepared to withdraw their backing when the election takes place next year.
Grafström, a 45-year-old Swede appointed as permanent general secretary in May 2024, has maintained a complex relationship with the leadership. He previously distanced himself from the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, which proposed selling 20% of World Cup commercial rights. In a memo sent three days after that project was abandoned, he told staff that “individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go.” However, he later aligned with the president, signing a letter of “full support” and subsequently dismissing chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, who had been a vocal critic of the FFE proposal.
Despite his eventual alignment with the leadership, Grafström’s initial resistance caught the attention of those seeking an alternative to Infantino. Two African federation presidents contacted him by phone last week to discuss a potential candidacy. While Grafström remained non-committal and appeared surprised by the outreach, an executive committee member noted that he is viewed as an open-minded figure capable of uniting various continents.
Discontent within African football has been simmering, particularly following a decision—widely perceived as being imposed by Fifa—to shift the Africa Cup of Nations to a four-year cycle. During a meeting on August 7, only four of 21 executive committee members, including Caf president Patrice Motsepe and vice-president Fouzi Lekjaa, publicly declared support for Infantino. Observers suggest many others remained silent, waiting to see how the political landscape shifts.
With 54 member nations, Africa remains a critical battleground for any candidate needing to secure 106 of the 211 total votes. Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, who has aligned with Uefa and Concacaf in opposing Infantino, is also considered a viable contender. Sources estimate that if Sheikh Salman enters the race, he could secure significant support across Asia, Europe, and potentially 10 to 15 votes from Africa.
Any challenger to the current administration faces a high bar: they must present a concrete alternative to the FFE, which promised approximately $20 million annually to each association. Supporters of a change in leadership emphasize that if Uefa or another candidate can propose a superior plan—particularly one that guarantees infrastructure development for poorer nations—they would likely find a receptive audience among the membership. The report also notes that having signed a letter of “full support” for Infantino 24 hours later before informing employees in an email that chief operating officer Kevin Lamour – who heavily criti, the 45-year-old Swede has since fallen into line. The report also notes that “They think that Matthias can group all the continents together and then go forward,” a source who is a member of the exco told. The report also notes that grafström, who did not respond to request for comment, was appointed as Fifa’s permanent general secretary in May 2024 after previously serving in an interim role and has worked closely with Caf and some A. The report also notes that despite the Confederation of Africa Football (Caf) claiming that its executive committee (exco) had “unanimously reconfirmed” its support for the under-fire 56-year-old, as many as 15 federations in Africa are also said to be ready to turn their backs on Infantino when he seeks re-election as Fifa president next year. The report also notes that “I don’t know what his position is right now but if he can bring all these people together then he would get some support.
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