UEFA federations push to unseat Infantino at next FIFA presidential election

UEFA’s member federations are mounting a coordinated effort to field a candidate against FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the next FIFA presidential election, with the governing body’s relationship with its European counterpart at a historic low.

Infantino confirmed at April’s FIFA Congress that he intends to seek a third term and had hoped to run unopposed. However, growing dissatisfaction within UEFA has made that prospect increasingly unlikely, according to reports.

The tensions have been building for some time. Infantino has overseen the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams and has floated the idea of a 64-nation edition for 2030. He also restructured the Club World Cup into a significantly larger tournament, a move widely seen as a direct challenge to UEFA’s Champions League.

The most recent flashpoint came when FIFA rescinded a one-match ban on Folarin Balogun in an unprecedented decision that followed contact from US president Donald Trump. UEFA responded sharply, accusing FIFA of crossing “a red line” with an “incomprehensible and unjustifiable” ruling that had undermined “the integrity of the game and the credibility of the competition.”

UEFA president Alexander Ceferin would be the most prominent name to challenge Infantino, but the Slovenian is expected to continue in his current role after UEFA’s elections next spring and is not believed to be seeking a confrontation with the FIFA chief.

PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has support among several UEFA federations, including those of Belgium and Poland, though it is reported he has no ambition to stand for office.

Senior officials within Bosnian, Norwegian, Swedish, German, and Spanish football have discussed backing Legia Warsaw owner Dariusz Mioduski, and support for his candidacy is said to be growing. Beyond UEFA, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has also been mentioned as a potential successor, as has Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe, who is said to harbour long-term ambitions to lead FIFA.

No formal candidate has yet been announced, and the election timeline means the campaign is still in its early stages — but the mood within European football’s corridors of power suggests Infantino’s path to a third term will not be straightforward.