Wenger urged to challenge Infantino for FIFA presidency as calls grow for change at top

Arsene Wenger has emerged as a potential challenger to Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency, with senior executives — including figures from Europe — urging the former Arsenal manager to declare his candidacy ahead of the November 18 deadline.

Wenger, who left Arsenal in 2018 and currently serves as FIFA’s chief of global football development, has not been involved in club management since. His age — he is 77 — is reported to be a factor in his deliberations over whether to stand. Alongside Wenger, a second unnamed candidate is also seen as capable of applying serious pressure to the incumbent, according to The Telegraph.

Infantino’s position has weakened considerably since the World Cup, largely due to his controversial proposals to sell off stakes in future tournaments. He has remained defiant in the face of widespread criticism, but the backlash has been significant. The Football Association has publicly stated it no longer considers Infantino the right person to lead FIFA, while UEFA has also openly criticised him.

Wenger himself condemned Infantino’s World Cup commercialisation plan, calling its abandonment “absolutely necessary and beyond question.”

Should Wenger choose not to run, UEFA is expected to throw its support behind Kozo Tashima, president of the Japan Football Association and a FIFA ruling committee member since 2015. Tashima has framed a potential candidacy not as a bid for power but as an opportunity to demonstrate “the honest, sound and upright attitude that Japanese football has built.”

Infantino retains backing from several regions. The Caribbean Football Union has confirmed it will endorse him for another term following a visit to the region, and support from Qatar and Saudi Arabia is helping him work towards the 106 votes required for re-election.

However, the FIFA president has endured a turbulent week. Reports emerged that his presidential office requested VIP treatment for his daughters and their dogs during a personal trip from Miami to Qatar, raising fresh questions about his conduct and use of his position. He also faced scrutiny over FIFA’s decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s red card during the World Cup after a call from Donald Trump to Infantino — a move widely described as unprecedented.