Gianni Infantino has secured formal endorsements from more than 200 of Fifa's 211 member associations, putting him on track for a landslide re-election as Fifa president for a fourth term at the organisation's congress in March. The backing comes despite unease over the handling of Folarin Balogun's suspension, after Donald Trump admitted lobbying Fifa to review the USA striker's red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, with most discontent concentrated among European football associations rather than posing any real threat to Infantino's position.

Only a handful of associations have yet to send letters of support, with Germany the most notable holdout; candidates must be formally nominated by 18 November, and letters can still be withdrawn or redirected before then. Infantino remains the sole declared candidate, and although talk of a Europe-backed rival has grown more serious in recent days, sources suggest such a challenger might realistically gather only 30 to 40 votes. Uefa has voiced opposition to Fifa on issues including the Balogun affair and the exclusion of Somali referee Omar Artan from the World Cup, but has stopped short of backing a rival candidate. Fifa's member associations meet in New York on Saturday, though the agenda is expected to focus on World Cup finances rather than recent controversies.