African football president Patrice Motsepe on Thursday reiterated support for beleaguered FIFA president Gianni Infantino's re-election bid.
"We took a resolution, unanimous that we support him and we will stand by him for the next elections," Motsepe said near the end of a long speech to a Confederation of African Football (CAF) strategy meeting in Cape Verde, then called on delegates from the 54 national federations "to stand up and give Gianni a round of applause".
After a pause, as those present slowly rose, Infantino who had earlier given a speech, received a sustained standing ovation.
"One of the nations from Africa will win the World Cup," Motsepe said. "But we've got to spend more investment in our academies, in our youth."
He said CAF's partnership with Infantino was important.
"We can't just keep talking very nicely, having these beautiful plans. We've got to invest."
Infantino has faced criticism from many FIFA member associations, particularly in Europe, Asia and North America, since his aborted plan to create a commercial subsidiary to run FIFA's biggest events, such as the World Cup and Club World Cup.
The next FIFA election is scheduled for March 18, 2027 in Rabat.
Motsepe defended Infantino's integrity and the way African football is run.
"If anybody has any allegation or any accusation against Gianni Infantino or me or any other president, go to the FIFA ethics committee.
"There are these suggestions that we don't respect government, that we are not as committed to governance, to transparency, to ethics," said Motsepe.
"For us, governance and ethics and transparency and due process is a matter of life and death. Because our people are looking at us and they're saying to us in football, how do you conduct, how do you behave?"