South American football’s governing body (CONMEBOL) gave Gianni Infantino its ​backing on Thursday, should he decide ‌to run for re-election as ​FIFA president for a ⁠fourth term.

While Infantino has yet to confirm whether he will run for the ‌2027–2031 term, CONMEBOL’s council said in a statement that ‌it “unanimously expressed its support” for ‌the ⁠56-year-old’s leadership ahead of ⁠a potential bid.

“President Gianni Infantino, thank you for your continued commitment to the development ​of South American ‌football and for the leadership exercised at a global level,” CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dominguez said.

“We deeply ‌value your closeness to our ​region and your vision to continue growing the game ⁠worldwide.”

CONMEBOL is the first federation to express support for Infantino’s re-election.

The Swiss ‌administrator took office in 2016, taking over from Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and again in 2023.

Infantino has pushed for the expansion of FIFA ‌competitions during his tenure, with this year’s ​World Cup in North America the first to feature ⁠48 teams, while the women’s tournament in ⁠2023 expanded to 32 teams.

Infantino’s tenure has also drawn ‌some criticism over issues such as governance and calendar congestion.

Published on Apr 10, 2026