Infantino confirms fourth-term bid as FIFA insists 'nothing has changed' amid resignation calls

Gianni Infantino will seek a fourth term as FIFA president, a spokesperson confirmed, even as the governing body faces a widening coalition of opposition demanding he step down over his attempt to sell stakes in FIFA tournaments — including the World Cup — to private investors.

“The FIFA president announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election,” a FIFA spokesperson said.

The announcement came after Infantino declined to address questions about his future at the Women’s Under-20 World Cup in Poland on Saturday, where he watched host nation Poland face Argentina on the tournament’s opening day alongside Polish soccer federation president Cezary Kulesza. “There will be a lot to say, but there will be a right place and a right time to say this. It’s not today, it’s not here,” Infantino told reporters at the stadium.

UEFA has been the most vocal force pushing for Infantino’s resignation, vowing to work with other confederations to identify a credible alternative candidate ahead of the FIFA congress in March. The Asian confederation and the organisation representing nations in North and Central America and the Caribbean have also voiced opposition.

Infantino had largely withdrawn from public view in recent weeks after his World Cup privatisation scheme collapsed in the face of resistance from multiple FIFA member associations and senior internal figures. European nations, who make up a quarter of the 24-team tournament, had threatened a boycott before stepping back last week following assurances from FIFA that the plan would not be revived.

Despite those assurances, the political damage to Infantino’s standing appears significant. UEFA’s commitment to finding an alternative candidate signals that the March congress could produce the most contested FIFA presidential election in years, though no rival candidate has yet been publicly named.