FIFA confirms Infantino will run in presidential election

PARIS: Gianni Infantino will stand in next March’s FIFA presidential election, despite the backlash over his now-abandoned plan to bring private investment into the World Cup, football’s global governing body announced Sunday.

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

The 56-year-old Swiss has taken a pummelling since the announcement in late July of his short-lived FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan to bring private investment into FIFA events.

But now for the first time since the plan became public, FIFA has reiterated Infantino’s intention to run for a fourth and final term in next year’s elections.

Should he be re-elected, he will continue to serve as head of world football until 2031.

Infantino is in Poland for the Women’s Under-20 World Cup, but refused to answer queries about his future when questioned by journalists on Saturday.

European body UEFA has accused Infantino of “criminal mismanagement” over the scheme and was the ringleader of the initial fightback to the announcement, including threatening to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, if it was not shelved.

But it has also found solid support from North American body CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is widely seen as the likeliest challenger to Infantino – UEFA boss Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out.

Montagliani, a FIFA vice-president, had long been regarded as a close ally of Infantino, but there were signs, even before he distanced himself over the now-scrapped plan to allow private investment into World Cups, that he viewed FIFA’s purpose somewhat differently to the Swiss.

However, Infantino is not without friends – 2034 World Cup hosts Saudi Arabia came out in support last month, with African football’s governing body CAF and South America’s CONMEBOL also supportive.

As the only declared candidate so far for the election due to take place in March 2027, Infantino will need a simple majority of votes from the 211 federations affiliated to FIFA to extend his term of office, which began in 2016 and was renewed in 2023.

Candidate nominations for next year’s election must be submitted by November 18.