Weeks after staying tight-lipped about his re-election bid, embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino has decided to seek a fourth term at the helm of the top footballing body.
Infantino's decision ends weeks of speculation over whether he would contest in 2027 or step down, amid combined backlash from UEFA, which governs football in Europe, the Asian confederation, and CONCACAF, which represents countries in North and Central America as well as the Caribbean.
“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," confirmed a spokesperson for Infantino, as per a Guardian report.
Infantino needs a simple majority of votes from the 211 FIFA-affiliated federations to continue his term.
Though CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani—who had also stepped away from Infantino's now-scrapped bid to sell stakes in FIFA tournaments to private investors—he is still considered one of the possible competitors who could take on the 56-year-old for the 2027 post.
However, no rival candidate has come forward yet, with just a few months to go before the November 18 deadline to do so. FIFA's presidential elections will then take place in Morocco's Rabat in March 2027.
Pressure to step down
Though the failed proposal to sell stakes in FIFA tournaments to private hands led by Joshua Kushner—brother of Jared Kushner (the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump)—fell apart in August, there were other factors as well that led to immense pressure on the FIFA chief to step down.
The plan, aimed at bringing in additional revenue, triggered strong UEFA-led opposition from many organisations in the footballing world, raising questions about whether Infantino would try similar moves to wrest control of FIFA competitions if he comes to power in the future.
Elected in 2016 in the wake of a major corruption scandal that led his predecessor, Sepp Blatter, to resign, Infantino retained the presidency without any opposition in 2019 and 2023, with his sights now set on 2027.
A month ago, the FIFA chief had also faced allegations of blackmail from the footballing body's former vice-president, Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, who serves as the president of the Jordanian football federation.
Prince Ali hit out at FIFA for allegedly withholding the Arab Cup prize money owed to his Jordan national team—he claimed he was asked to endorse Infantino, as it would "go a long way to helping our FA out”.
“We pride ourselves in Jordan in upholding ethical values. We did not endorse him before and certainly will not now,” said Prince Ali, who had been one of the candidates who had contested against him in 2016.
Amid pressure on Infantino to step down, the AFC and CONCACAF have also gone the UEFA way, withdrawing their backing for the president, as per a Goal.com report.
Individual member associations, including the KNVB, did the same, while a motion of no confidence is also reportedly brewing against Infantino.
However, despite the tough road ahead, removing him from his post is said to be a complicated process, needing an extraordinary session of the FIFA Congress to be convened, which itself would need the support of 43 of the 211 member associations.
