Gianni Infantino’s leadership at FIFA faces scrutiny, but the president maintains strategic allies. Véron Mosengo-Omba, a Congolese executive, has declared absolute loyalty to the organization’s head.
Amid a landscape of political instability behind the scenes at FIFA, Gianni Infantino continues to be the target of criticism regarding the institution’s administrative direction.
However, the president has significant defenders within the African confederations, which are crucial for maintaining his hegemony in world football’s leadership.
The declaration of support came from Véron Mosengo-Omba, current president of the Congolese Football Federation (Fecofa).
With a career that includes years as a director at FIFA itself and a long friendship with Infantino, the executive reaffirmed his alliance at a time of questioning from European sectors.
Unconditional Loyalty
Mosengo-Omba’s stance highlights the division among the federations that make up FIFA‘s electoral body.
In a recent interview, the executive did not mince words when describing his loyalty to the current president of world football’s highest governing body:
“The majority of federations support him. Just ask the Congress. Now they are trying to attack Gianni, but I am ready to take a bullet for him.”
Disagreements over the FFE
Despite his personal loyalty, the Congolese executive admits that Infantino‘s management is not immune to flaws.
He specifically highlighted criticism of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which aimed to attract private investments for the organization’s tournaments.
“What I didn’t like, and where I think Gianni made a mistake, was the way everything was done. Because the risk was that many companies could end up organizing the World Cup. That is my criticism of him.”
Impact and Future at FIFA
Despite his reservations, Mosengo-Omba recognizes the need for financial contributions for the development of football in African countries.
The executive estimates that new management models could inject millions of dollars annually into peripheral federations, transforming the reality of local sports.
The debate about FIFA‘s future takes on definitive contours with the approaching deadline for defining candidacies for the next three-year term.
The political scenario, marked by a power struggle between CAF, Conmebol, and European entities, promises to be the focus of attention until March 2027.
M360 Team
