**FIFA President Gianni Infantino to Seek Re‑election in 2027**
*Swiss football executive Gianni Infantino has confirmed that he will stand for a fourth term as FIFA president in the March 2027 election, despite criticism over his former plan to bring private investment into the World Cup.*
Infantino, 56, announced in April that he would run again. FIFA officials said nothing has changed and that he will continue to serve as head of world football until 2031 if re‑elected. The president is currently in Poland for the Women’s Under‑20 World Cup but declined to discuss his future with journalists.
The announcement follows the abandonment of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme, which had proposed allowing private investment in FIFA events. The plan was widely criticized, particularly by UEFA, which described it as “criminal mismanagement.” UEFA threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, if the scheme was not shelved. The threat was withdrawn on August 27, but UEFA remains convinced that Infantino should step down.
UEFA has requested disclosure of documents related to the FFE plan from FIFA and its partners in the United States. If the documents are obtained, UEFA said it intends to file a legal complaint in Switzerland. The European body has also received support from CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in its actions against Infantino. The three confederations issued a joint letter last month stating, “Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding — or demanding — power to be held.”
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, a former head of Canada Soccer and a FIFA vice‑president, is widely regarded as the most likely challenger to Infantino. UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out of the race. Montagliani has long been seen as an ally of Infantino but has expressed differing views on FIFA’s purpose, particularly after the FFE plan was scrapped.
Infantino has supporters among several national associations. Saudi Arabia, the 2034 World Cup hosts, endorsed him last month, and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the South American governing body CONMEBOL have also expressed support.
In September, FIFA accused UEFA of a “smear campaign” and a “fishing expedition” against Infantino.
The election will take place in Rabat, Morocco, and Infantino will need a simple majority of votes from FIFA’s 211 affiliated federations to win. Candidate nominations must be submitted by November 18. No other candidate has yet declared.
Article and image source: nationalpost.com
