FIFA succession picture shifts as Infantino faces five potential challengers

Gianni Infantino’s plans to remain as FIFA president for a fourth term have been thrown into uncertainty after investment proposals designed to generate billions of dollars for the governing body’s competitions, including the World Cup, collapsed.

The Swiss intends to stand for another four-year term at FIFA’s Congress in Morocco next March. Until recently, he appeared to have the overwhelming backing of FIFA’s 211 member associations, but opposition has now begun to emerge.

Uefa has openly said it has lost confidence in Infantino, while the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf have launched strong criticism of his leadership style. There have also been increasing calls for him to resign immediately.

Infantino has led FIFA since 2016 and was re-elected unopposed in both 2019 and 2023. However, the growing criticism could encourage serious challengers, with the deadline for submitting candidacies set for 18 November.

According to the German Press Agency, five figures could potentially enter the race.

Aleksander Ceferin

The 58-year-old president of Uefa is known for his combative personality. A former karate player, the Slovenian lawyer has presented himself as a clear alternative to Infantino, despite strongly supporting Uefa’s commercial direction.

With his current term as Uefa president approaching its conclusion, and having announced that he will not seek re-election in 2027, Ceferin has led European opposition to his FIFA counterpart.

At the beginning of 2024, he said: “After a certain period, every organisation needs new blood.”

The question now is whether he could apply the same principle to himself.

Nasser Al-Khelaifi

Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the 52-year-old Qatari president of the European Club Association, has not ruled out the possibility of a biennial World Cup, a proposal Infantino made in 2021. He has said he is willing to discuss the idea.

Al-Khelaifi has been president of French club Paris Saint-Germain since 2011 and is a board member of the sports and entertainment network beIN Sports. He also sits on Uefa’s executive committee and is a close ally of Ceferin.

Although he has denied wanting to become FIFA president, his broad influence could make him a possible candidate if circumstances change.

Matthias Grafstrom

Born to a Swedish father and Dutch mother, Matthias Grafstrom was once a Swiss junior table-tennis champion.

The 45-year-old built his career as a football administrator and was formally appointed FIFA secretary general in 2024, succeeding Senegalese official Fatma Samoura.

Grafstrom is considered very close to Infantino, but media reports have suggested that he believes the opportunity may now exist for him to seek the highest position in world football, particularly as criticism of his current boss intensifies.

Victor Montagliani

Victor Montagliani, 60, was born in Vancouver, Canada, and became president of the Canadian Soccer Association in 2012.

Concacaf hosted the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Following the arrest of then-Concacaf president Jeffrey Webb in 2015 during a corruption scandal that shook FIFA, Montagliani emerged as a potential successor and became president of the confederation in 2016.

Carlo Ancelotti, the renowned coach, is among those close to him.

More significantly, Concacaf under Montagliani unanimously rejected Infantino’s investment plans, placing the Canadian firmly among those opposing the FIFA president’s approach.

Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa

Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, 60, previously challenged Infantino in the 2016 FIFA presidential election. He lost by a narrow margin despite facing allegations of corruption and human rights violations.

The Bahraini official is president of the Asian Football Confederation, which has also rejected Infantino’s investment proposals. The AFC has instead stressed the importance of collective dialogue and respect for the existing leadership.

Those positions could make Sheikh Salman a potential candidate to return to the contest if the race for the FIFA presidency opens up.