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Saudi Arabia\u2019s Football Federation threw its support behind embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino, in a statement issued Thursday, saying the body \u201cstands ready to support constructive engagement wherever helpful\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n The football world has been rocked for weeks by the ongoing dispute over FIFA\u2019s now shelved plan \u2014 which was Infantino\u2019s idea \u2014 bring private financing into the World Cup.<\/p>\n Saudi Arabia \u2014 which will host the World Cup in 2034 \u2014 welcomed the joint statement issued by Infantino and Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom on August 5.<\/p>\n In a statement, the federation \u201cwelcomes the acknowledgement of mistakes, the apology, the decision not to proceed with the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal and the commitment to review the process, as set out in the recent joint open letter from the FIFA President and Secretary General.<\/p>\n \u201cThese were important first steps,\u201d the federation added.<\/p>\n The statement ended up with the federation saying it supported \u201cthe continued efforts of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA\u2019s leadership to restore unity across the football family and continue growing the game for the benefit of all.\u201d<\/p>\n The Saudis join 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar and several other Asian member associations in taking a different line to the regional governing body the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) who have been heavily critical of Infantino.<\/p>\n UEFA, whose clubs and national teams dominate football\u2019s global economy, reacted furiously when it emerged in late July FIFA was aiming to create a commercial subsidiary to run its biggest events, such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.<\/p>\n The proposal would have allowed private investors to acquire stakes in a company created under the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative.<\/p>\n Despite abandoning the project, pressure on Infantino has continued, with the criticism renewed in a joint letter issued by the football confederations of Asia, Europe and CONCACAF (North and Central America and the Caribbean) on August 10.<\/p>\n Infantino, who is seeking a fourth and final term as FIFA president at the election next March in Rabat, rejected calls for his resignation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n