The president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Sheik Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, has withdrawn his earlier call for the removal of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, marking a significant shift in the region's stance toward the global football leader. Since 2013, Sheik Salman has led the AFC and initially aligned with UEFA and Concacaf in pushing for Infantino’s ouster following the “World Cup for Sale” controversy. However, support for this campaign within Asia has rapidly eroded over the past two months.

Bahrain, Salman’s home member association, now backs Infantino, and several major West Asian football powers—Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates—have also expressed support for the FIFA president. Infantino’s standing among AFC members has further strengthened during his recent tours of Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia, coinciding with the Gulf Cup final. These visits produced strong endorsements, while Salman has remained notably absent from the public arena. His deputy, Vahid Kardany, a controversial figure linked to a past bribery case, appeared belatedly in Indonesia but has not succeeded in rallying support against Infantino.

At present, only Palestine, Iran, and Jordan openly oppose Infantino, each for distinct reasons. Against this backdrop and with his own re-election prospects uncertain—despite recent AFC rule changes removing term limits—Sheik Salman sought a retreat. On Thursday, he sent a letter to Infantino distancing himself from calls for a comprehensive overhaul of FIFA’s governance. Instead, Salman advocated for the formation of an internal working group comprised of existing football institutions to review governance arrangements, reversing his prior endorsement of an independent third-party investigation shared with UEFA and Concacaf.

In his letter, Salman emphasized the need to evaluate whether the current governing bodies have clearly defined roles, appropriate power allocations, and effective checks and balances, but insisted the process be managed from within football’s organizational structures rather than by external actors.

Football Australia, which had initially supported the AFC’s push for independent investigation, did not respond to inquiries regarding whether it maintains this position or now supports Infantino’s presidency.

Infantino aims to secure a new term as FIFA president in March 2027. Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega has already announced his candidacy to challenge the Swiss incumbent, campaigning on a platform of uniting the global football community.

The leadership of the AFC, including Salman, General Secretary Windsor John, and Deputy General Secretary Kardany, now face uncertain futures amid increasing calls for greater transparency, fairness in World Cup qualification processes, and equal treatment of female players. The evolving dynamics within Asian football will determine whether Salman can retain his position or be replaced as the continent’s voice in world football governance.