SFA backs Gianni Infantino in Fifa presidency election

Fifa presidential candidate Gianni Infantino has the support of both the SFA and the FA. Picture: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images

The Swiss-Italian is currently Uefa’s general secretary and stepped into the Fifa race after Uefa president Michel Platini was banned and withdrew from the race.

The Board of the Scottish FA says it is supporting Infantino’s bid to replace Sepp Blatter as Fifa president after reviewing the manifestos of all candidates.

Stewart Regan, the Scottish FA chief executive, Alan McRae, the president, and Rod Petrie, the vice-president, will travel to Switzerland on Thursday to represent the association at Friday’s election and McRae will cast the vote in favour of Infantino.

During the process of identifying a preferred candidate, the Scottish FA Board also consulted with the wider Scottish football fraternity via the Congress meeting in February. Congress includes representatives from league bodies and affiliates, PFA Scotland, Supporters Direct Scotland, Coaches and Managers’ Association, sportscotland, Scottish Senior Football Referees Association and Scottish Football Writers’ Association.

Infantino was also considered to be the preferred choice among the majority of Congress members during a discussion forum which followed a review of the candidates’ manifestos.

Regan said: “The board of the Scottish FA is clear that Gianni Infantino is the best candidate possible to lead the governance reform required at Fifa. He has been a highly respected general secretary of Uefa for many years and has performed that role with skill, diplomacy and professional integrity.

“As well as having the support of the majority of Uefa’s national associations, he also has the support of many across the world in other Confederations. We believe he has the leadership qualities required to push forward change at world football’s governing body and for those reasons we will be voting for Gianni Infantino.”

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke had previously announced that England’s governing body will support Infantino.

He is one of five candidates fighting it out for the presidency and is currently rated as second favourite with William Hill, who price him at 6/4.

Favourite is Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa of Bahrain.

Odds to be next Fifa president (William Hill):

8/15 Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al Khalifa

6/4 Gianni Infantino

8/1 Prince Ali al Hussein

25/1 Tokyo Sexwale

66/1 Jerome Champagne

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