UEFA has begun the search for a candidate to challenge Gianni Infantino in next March’s FIFA presidential election, calling for a “respected and unifying figure, deeply rooted in football” to lead world football’s governing body.
The criteria were agreed at a meeting of UEFA’s 55 member associations in Berlin, ahead of the November 18 deadline for nominations. The organisation said its preferred candidate should represent FIFA globally and provide leadership without taking on management functions.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin ruled himself out of the contest, although he confirmed he would seek a fourth and final term in his current role at next April’s election in Astana, Kazakhstan.
The identity of a potential challenger to Infantino was not discussed at the meeting. UEFA indicated that the candidate might not necessarily be European, reflecting the need to secure support from FIFA’s 211 member associations.
“FIFA also needs new leadership: a respected and unifying figure, deeply rooted in football, with the vision and experience to lead, the ability to command confidence across regions and an unequivocal commitment to development, reform, integrity and independence,” UEFA said.
Ceferin has led efforts among football officials to oppose Infantino’s increasingly executive-style presidency. Tensions intensified after an alleged plan to sell stakes in the World Cup and other tournaments to private investors was defeated quickly and kept confidential.
UEFA calls for safeguards against executive interference
UEFA also called for changes to FIFA’s governance, including protection for the appointment and work of oversight bodies from “presidential or executive interference”. It further said that “no FIFA resources may be used for personal or electoral interests”.
The reform proposals were backed by all UEFA members except Azerbaijan, which has pledged its support to Infantino. One of Infantino’s key election aides is from Azerbaijan.
UEFA repeated its proposal that every FIFA member should receive a one-off 10 million US dollar dividend from the governing body’s reserves. FIFA’s reserves stand at close to six billion dollars after the men’s World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The push for an alternative comes as Infantino seeks a fourth term, having first been elected in 2016. At a meeting of Africa’s 54 FIFA member associations in Cape Verde, he highlighted FIFA’s investment in the continent through its Forward programme.
“With the FIFA Forward programme we have invested, in 10 years, 1 billion US dollars in Africa, 500 million in the last four years. One hundred and 24 different projects and many other actions,” Infantino said. “We need to continue, of course together, on this path.”
Former Switzerland and Tottenham defender Ramon Vega has said he wants to stand against Infantino. It would be his second attempt to challenge for the presidency, after he failed to secure the backing of five voting federations in 2019.
It remains unclear whether Vega meets the eligibility requirement of having held a recognised role in football for at least two of the previous five years.
