Infantino says he is backed by 'vast majority'

Fifa president Gianni Infantino insists he has the backing of the "vast, vast majority" of world football, as he laughed off questions about whether he had considered resigning over the World Cup sell-off debacle.

In a rare interview, he struck a defiant tone to BBC Sport about his own position in the wake of the controversial Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, and said it was not always easy to bring different points of view "under one roof".

"There is nothing bad in disagreeing," he said. "We see it every day in so many countries in the world. It's OK to disagree. It's OK to have different points of view, but then we need to be able to move on."

Two months ago, Infantino was facing mounting calls to stand down as president of the organisation he has led since 2016.

The heads of European football's governing body Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf, which runs the game in North and Central America, signed a letter accusing the Fifa president of breaking trust "through deception".

Last week Uefa demanded that Fifa release all key documents relating to FFE by 2 November, with Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis saying that the organisation had failed to address "a number of fundamental questions".

Under FFE, which Infantino scrapped within days, a portion of the commercial rights of football's world governing body would have been given to a private investment firm.

Since the delivery of the letter, Infantino has been travelling the world, appearing in Morocco, the Dominican Republic, Cape Verde, and Japan, managing to shore up support to the point where his re-election as president for a fourth term next year now looks inevitable.

During the interview he reflected on having been "fully endorsed" by the Asian Football Confederation - following a U-turn by its president Sheikh Salman - and having the backing of "all African countries".

But only last week, he apologised to the Fifa Council over the "communication and consultation" regarding FFE.

He was told by Council members in that meeting that he was not "fit to be Fifa president" if he did not give them the documents they have asked for, including the rationale for FFE.

Yet, when pressed on when he would be providing the requested papers, he did not give a clear answer, saying they had to follow a "legal process" and that they were "working on it".

"We'll answer of course all the questions that are asked as far as the process allows, as far as we can," he said.

Speaking from the first Under-15 World Cup in Azerbaijan, he said he and the Fifa administration were doing "as best we can" but admitted they have done "some things which are maybe less good".

He also said that they need to have dialogue "more often" with Uefa, in an effort to repair their strained relationship.

Asked by the BBC if he was fit to be Fifa president, and whether he had considered standing down, he laughed, before saying: "Well you know I was elected by 211 member associations from all over the world.

"I think what is important is that in an organisation like Fifa, there can be different views, different points of view.

"But if we are serious about democracy, about the democratic process, about believing that everyone has the same vote and the same voice all over the world, that football belongs to everyone, if we are serious about that, then we need, to respect as well the views of the vast, vast majority.

"I'm just coming back off Tokyo where the Asian Football Confederation has fully endorsed me. I was in Cape Verde where all [Confederation of] African [Football] countries have endorsed me. I'm speaking to all associations everywhere in the world."

He continued: "There are different points of view it's not always easy to bring them all under one roof but we need to respect and I do respect all opinions all views and then it will be up to the Fifa member associations to decide who they want as a president and how they want Fifa to be run."

The deadline for candidates to confirm they are standing against Infantino for the election in March is 18 November - although none have yet filed and he could stand unopposed.

Infantino arrived in Baku on Friday for the Fifa Under-15 World Cup and Festival, which is being held in Azerbaijan and features teams from 189 member associations.

England, Spain, France, Argentina and Brazil are all taking part. Russia have also sent a team, marking the country's first appearance in a Fifa-sanctioned tournament since the world governing body, and Uefa, suspended Russian teams from international competitions in February 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine.

This tournament is only for boys, with next year's tournament being girls only, and then from 2028 Fifa's plan is to have boys and girls competing in the tournament annually.

Matches are played in an 8v8 format, on smaller pitches and with 20-minute halves.

"It's just beautiful to bring the world together at such a young age to create something like this," Infantino said.

"When some of these boys participate in a World Cup 10 years, 20 years from now, they will all remember that their first World Cup was here."