Gianni Infantino has moved closer to securing another term as FIFA president after receiving formal backing from more than 200 of the governing body's member associations ahead of next year's election, leaving only a small group of nations yet to declare their support despite criticism surrounding the ongoing World Cup in North America.
The endorsements place Infantino in a commanding position ahead of FIFA's presidential election at the congress in March, where he is expected to comfortably win what would be his fourth term in office.
While support for the FIFA chief has grown across much of the football world, opposition has mainly come from parts of Europe, where concerns have been raised over FIFA's recent handling of several issues during the World Cup.
UEFA has clashed with FIFA on a number of matters in recent months, including the Balogun incident and the decision to bar Somali referee Omar Artan from officiating at the tournament. Even so, it remains unclear whether Europe's governing body would throw its weight behind a rival candidate in the presidential race.
According to The Guardian, some people close to European football's leadership believe that even a challenger capable of attracting between 30 and 40 votes could help trigger a meaningful public discussion about FIFA's leadership and the direction the organisation is taking.
Only a handful of FIFA's 211 member associations have not yet submitted letters supporting Infantino's re-election bid. Among them are a small number of European football associations, with Germany standing out as the highest-profile federation yet to officially declare its support.
England, however, is among the associations that submitted its endorsement well before the World Cup, adding to the growing list of federations backing the Swiss administrator.
The deadline for presidential candidates to be nominated is November 18. Until then, member associations are free to withdraw or transfer their letters of support should another candidate enter the race.
At present, Infantino remains the only declared candidate. Even so, some football associations reportedly feel they have faced continued pressure from within FIFA to formally back his bid, despite such conduct, in theory, not being allowed under the organisation's ethics code.
With support from more than 200 member associations already secured, Infantino no longer depends on Europe to win another overwhelming mandate. In any case, most European federations have already endorsed his candidacy.
FIFA's 211 member associations are due to meet in New York on Saturday for the governing body's congress. With Infantino presiding over the gathering, recent controversies surrounding the World Cup are not expected to feature prominently on the agenda.
Instead, discussions are likely to focus on the tournament's financial performance and how any future benefits generated from the competition could be shared with FIFA's member associations.