FIFA president Gianni Infantino arrived in the Colombian city of Cali early on Friday to attend the presidential inauguration of the hard-right Abelardo de la Espriella, as he confronted a governance crisis triggered by a now-abandoned plan to open world football’s governing body to private capital. During the visit, Infantino secured public expressions of support from the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) and several of its member federations, even as opposition from Europe hardened.

The controversy centres on the Fifa Forward Enterprise, a proposed commercial entity that would have allowed private investors into FIFA’s activities, including the World Cup. After widespread rejection, the project was withdrawn, but the European confederation UEFA maintained its threat to boycott FIFA competitions, and Concacaf also voiced strong criticism. The Norwegian Football Federation said it would call on Infantino to resign, according to a report in El Espectador. Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, is seeking a fourth term at an election scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat, where he will need a majority of the 211 member associations.

Conmebol, which had earlier expressed “concern regarding the repeated unilateral actions” taken by FIFA, saw its president Alejandro Dominguez strike a conciliatory note in Cali. “One cannot ignore the great work” done by Infantino, Dominguez told local media, adding that “it is not necessary to always agree.” The Argentine, Paraguayan, Venezuelan and Ecuadorian federations all welcomed the withdrawal of the investment plan and voiced confidence in Infantino’s leadership. Ecuador’s federation president, Francisco Egas Larreategui, wrote to Infantino to express his trust that “those currently leading football” would continue working for the good of the sport.

Infantino, who has cultivated ties with right-wing figures including US President Donald Trump, attended the inauguration ceremony in Cali, a location De la Espriella chose instead of the traditional Bogotá venue as a message against criminal groups amid the worst wave of violence in a decade. Earlier, at a children’s football festival, Infantino spoke of football as “joy, happiness, unity” but declined to answer a reporter’s question on whether FIFA’s troubles were over. The election in Rabat next March will test whether the South American backing can offset the opposition from Europe and elsewhere.