HANOI – FIFA President Gianni Infantino can count on votes from Southeast Asia when he stands for re-election at the congress of the ruling football body in June 2019.
The ASEAN (AFF) group of 12 nations within the Asian confederation AFC said Saturday that its council endorses Infantino who was elected FIFA boss in 2016.
"The Member Associations of AFF have unanimously declared their support for Mr Infantino to continue as the FIFA President," AFF Deputy President Maj Gen Khiev Sameth said in a statement.
The 12 AFF countries include Australia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, where Friday's council meeting took place.
The FIFA congress is set for June 5 in Paris and so far there is no challenger for Infantino. Potential candidates for the presidency must register by early February.
Infantino also has public support from other confederations but not from Europe which is offering stiff resistance to his plans for a revamped Claub World Cup and global Nations League in connection with a 25-billion dollar offer from investors said to come from Japan and Saudi Arabia.
A taskforce has been set up and Infantino is also trying to convince each of the 211 FIFA members of his plans which reportedly – but denied by FIFA - also include the sale of crucial FIFA rights from digital areas to its showcase World Cup.
Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung (SZ) said Saturday that member federations are to vote on these events at football summits, which has again been met by European opposition.
"Without knowing facts and awaiting the results of the taskforce deliberations it is dubious to have national federations vote whether they are for or against a Club World Cup and Global Nations League," the SZ quoted the German federation DFB as saying.