FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed he will seek re-election while a failed diplomatic handshake sparked controversy at congress session
- +Infantino’s Israel–Palestine Handshake Initiative Draws Criticism
The President of world football’s governing body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino, has confirmed he will seek re-election for a third full term next year, using the closing moments of the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver to make the announcement after an awkward diplomatic incident involving Palestinian and Israeli football officials.
The President of world football’s governing body, FIFA, Gianni Infantino, has confirmed he will seek re-election for a third full term next year, using the closing moments of the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver to make the announcement after an awkward diplomatic incident involving Palestinian and Israeli football officials.
The moment of tension unfolded when Infantino attempted to stage what sources inside the congress described as a symbolic handshake between the President of the Palestinian Football Federation, Jibril Rajoub, and the Vice-President of the Israel Football Association, Basim Sheikh Suliman.
Both men were called to the stage, but Rajoub refused to stand alongside the Israeli delegate, creating a visibly uncomfortable scene in the hall. Delegates said the FIFA president appeared to have been seeking a photo opportunity that could underscore his broader positioning as a global mediator in sport and politics.
The initiative, however, quickly collapsed, with Rajoub declining to participate in the gesture.
Following the breakdown of the attempt, Infantino returned to the podium and addressed the situation directly, calling for continued cooperation despite the diplomatic strain.
He said:“I want to confirm I will be a candidate for the election for FIFA president next year. I wanted you to be the first to know. Thanks for your encouragement and support.”
On the failed handshake initiative, Infantino added:“We will work together, president Rajoub, vice-president Suliman. Let’s work together to give hope to the children. These are complex matters.”
The FIFA president, who has increasingly sought to project himself as an international statesman, has in recent years launched initiatives aimed at positioning the organisation within broader global diplomacy, including the creation of a FIFA peace prize which he previously awarded to Donald Trump.
However, the incident at the congress underscored the limitations of such symbolic gestures amid entrenched geopolitical tensions.
Reacting to Rajoub’s refusal to engage in the handshake, Palestinian Football Federation Vice-President Susan Shalabi was quoted as saying:
“I cannot shake the hand of someone the Israelis have brought to whitewash their fascism and genocide. We are suffering.”
Infantino’s re-election bid is expected to be formalised at next year’s FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco. He was first elected in 2016 on a reform platform following the exit of disgraced former president Sepp Blatter, and is widely expected to secure another term unopposed, following changes to FIFA statutes that allow only full terms to count towards the three-term limit.
