Gianni Infantino is set to take his FIFA presidential re-election campaign to Japan this week, where he is scheduled to meet leaders of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on Wednesday.
The meeting comes after Infantino apologised last week in Zurich, Switzerland, to FIFA's 37-member ruling council, which he chairs, for "mistakes" in putting together a now-abandoned $4.2 billion plan to sell off World Cup commercial rights.
The council is FIFA's main decision-making body, comprising officials from across the world.
The planned meeting with Asian soccer leaders will take place at a five-star hotel in Tokyo, with media access largely restricted.
Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, the AFC president, initially opposed Infantino and his proposal to establish a subsidiary to run the World Cup. However, he may have moved closer to the FIFA president, according to a report by The Athletic.
Infantino has offered his critics an open and independent review of FIFA's decision-making process.
Infantino seeks support ahead of election
An Associated Press tally suggests Infantino is nearing the simple majority of votes from FIFA's 211 member federations needed to secure re-election in March for a fourth term. Some decisive votes could come from Asia.
The AFC had joined criticism of Infantino following the proposed World Cup commercial rights sell-off, but its members appear divided over his leadership. Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup, has expressed support for Infantino, while Jordan has declared its opposition.
The FIFA Council is scheduled to hold its next meeting on Dec 16 in Doha, Qatar.
According to the AP tally, 87 of FIFA's 211 member federations have indicated support for Infantino, either through individual comments or by endorsing statements of backing issued by their regional confederations. Europe accounts for the largest bloc of opposition.
FIFA's election rules
No incumbent FIFA president has lost an election since 1974. The deadline for candidates to submit nominations to challenge Infantino is Nov 18.
Under FIFA rules, candidates must have "played an active role in association football (e.g. as a player or an official within FIFA, a confederation or an association, etc.) for two of the last five years before being proposed."
They must also secure declarations of support from at least five of FIFA's 211 member federations.
"FIFA is a massive patronage network," Jules Boykoff, a political scientist at Pacific University and a former professional soccer player, told the Associated Press.
"It brings in billions from the men's World Cup and distributes it to football associations around the world in exchange for loyalty," he said.
"The funds that FIFA distributes to soccer bodies around the world are meant to develop soccer, but there's scant oversight," Boykoff added. "To say FIFA is in need of structural overhaul it to make an enormous understatement."