The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has said Gianni Infantino can only be removed as FIFA president through the proper electoral process.
Motsepe, who is also a FIFA vice president, made the position known amid growing calls from some of FIFA’s regional football bodies for Infantino to step down.
It was reported that CAF is among the confederations backing Infantino to continue as FIFA president.
The 56-year-old FIFA president has come under pressure after UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF accused him of “deception” over an alleged plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to investors.
The confederations have reportedly called for Infantino’s resignation and opposed his bid to seek another term when FIFA’s presidential election is held in March next year.
However, Motsepe insisted that anyone seeking to remove Infantino must follow the rules governing FIFA elections.
Speaking to Sky News, the CAF president said the FIFA statutes provided a clear process for dealing with disagreements involving the president.
He said, “If anybody has got any problem against anybody, whether it’s Gianni, whether it is anybody else, follow the process, follow the FIFA process, simple as that.”
Motsepe challenged those opposed to Infantino’s leadership to take their concerns to the election rather than seeking his removal outside the established process.
He added, “If you want to take him out, go for elections; let the 211 member associations decide.”
The CAF president also urged football stakeholders to allow the electoral process to take its course.
“You’ve got to be very careful. There are elections taking place next year. Shouldn’t we allow that process to continue?” he asked.
Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and again in 2023.
The latest controversy has, however, created fresh tensions within the global football governing body, with some confederations questioning his leadership.
