After the FIFA World Cup 2026, FIFA president Gianni Infantino intended to sell a small portion of the historic tournament to the private sector. That invited enormous backlash as several countries protested against the move. UEFA even wanted Infantino to resign from the position. However, despite all the controversy, he is now seeking re-election in March 2027.
The 56-year-old has held the presidency since 2016 and would serve until 2031 if he wins another term. FIFA reiterated his plans after the recent controversy. “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,” read a FIFA statement.
The confirmation comes amid mounting opposition to Infantino’s plans. His proposal to sell stakes in FIFA competitions triggered widespread criticism. UEFA initially warned that it could boycott FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. Later, they called for his resignation.
Infantino doesn’t comment on his political future
Infantino declined to discuss his political future when questioned by reporters at the Women’s Under-20 World Cup in Poland on Saturday.
In the meantime, FIFA and UEFA are now engaged in a legal dispute over the proposal. FIFA accused UEFA this week of conducting a "smear campaign against it and its leadership". UEFA had filed legal papers in the United States seeking access to evidence and documents from FIFA and warned that it could pursue a criminal complaint in Switzerland.
Notably, Infantino had appeared certain to secure another term as recently as mid-July. Nearly all FIFA members had backed him, leaving him without a significant challenger. That position has since changed, with the football associations of England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland among those that have publicly withdrawn their support.
UEFA is understood to believe that a candidate capable of challenging Infantino can be found. Any challenger must obtain support from at least 106 of FIFA’s 211 member associations.
UEFA dropped no-confidence motion plea
UEFA has dropped the prospect of pursuing a no-confidence vote against Infantino. Such a move would require 159 votes, or three-quarters of FIFA’s membership, to approve a change to the organisation’s statutes, a threshold regarded as unrealistic.
As things stand, no opponent has formally been announced. However, Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is regarded as a serious potential challenger, as reported by the BBC.
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