The 31-member bloc of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) has not yet made it public which candidate it will support in the upcoming FIFA presidential elections.

But its president, Gordon Derrick, conceded to the Jamaica Observer that the membership has a clear idea as to who it is likely to collectively back in the five-man race, which will culminate at a congress in Zurich on February 26.

Four of the candidates — Jordan’s Prince Ali Al Hussein, Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa of Bahrain, Frenchman Jerome Champagne and Italian Gianni Infantino — have made recent trips to the Caribbean in an effort to sway support.

“They came and they told us what they can do to develop small island states, and each of them was saying the right things… I believe in transparency and I invited all five candidates,” Derrick said.

The other candidate, South African businessman Tokyo Sexwale, did not take up an invitation, but it’s possible that he may try to seize another opportunity to reach out to the political powerbroker, which is the Caribbean.

Though the CFU has not said so, well-placed sources suggest the region could throw its support behind Al-Khalifa, who is one of the front-runners in the race. The other top contender is thought to be UEFA general secretary, Infantino.

The CFU, which has 31 votes of the 41-member CONCACAF, has historically been referred to as a kingmaker, as their support is seen as high value for those who previously run for football’s top job.

Disgraced and long-serving FIFA President Joseph ‘Sepp’ Blatter, who is serving a career-ending eight-year suspension, has often boasted of the unflinching support he has enjoyed from the Caribbean region over the years.

While each territory in the CFU has the autonomy of voting for whichever candidate it chooses, the region has traditionally thrown its support behind one candidate, and it is widely expected that this tradition will continue.

“Each country has to vote, but normally we bring everybody in and we try to rally around one candidate, but we have not decided who we are going with as yet, although we have a good idea which way to go.

“Campaigning is still going on and we want to make sure we make the right decision,” said Derrick, who himself is canvassing support for his bid to become the CONCACAF president at a congress in Mexico City on May 12.

In the race for CONCACAF’s top post, only Bermuda Football Association President Larry Mussenden and Canada-based Guyanese-born football executive Mark Rodriguez have so far declared their interest to run for the post, although other candidates may emerge in the coming weeks.

— Sean Williams