Ammon News - South American football's governing body (CONMEBOL) gave Gianni Infantino its backing on Thursday should he ​decide to run for reelection 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 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.

Reuters