Ramon Vega announces FIFA presidency bid to challenge Gianni Infantino

Former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega has announced his intention to stand for the FIFA presidency against incumbent Gianni Infantino, but must meet several eligibility requirements before his candidacy can be formally accepted.

The 55-year-old Swiss said his aim was “simple”: to “serve football and everyone who contributes to making this sport”.

In a statement published by French network RMC, Vega said his plans were to “reunite the global football family, deliver genuine and sustainable reform, modernise FIFA in line with the 21st century, restore stability and credibility, and rebuild the trust that football urgently needs”.

His announcement comes amid criticism of Infantino since last summer, when FIFA proposed creating a commercial company and opening it to private-sector investors. The project was later abandoned.

Vega has previously expressed an interest in becoming FIFA president on several occasions. His most recent attempt came in 2022, but he was unable to complete the nomination process. Among the requirements is support from at least five of FIFA’s 211 member associations.

“The situation has changed a lot since then,” Vega told Agence France-Presse. He believes national associations are now “more open to change” than they were during his earlier attempts.

Vega must meet requirements before deadline

Vega played for several clubs during his career and ended his professional playing days with Crystal during the 2002-03 season.

The former Switzerland defender has had a notable presence on social media in recent weeks, although he has not yet published a detailed election programme.

To become an official candidate for the FIFA presidency, Vega must have held an active role in football for at least two years during the past five years. He must also secure the backing of at least five national associations from different parts of the world and pass FIFA’s integrity checks.

All of those conditions must be met before the deadline for submitting candidacy applications on 18 November.

Vega has not said whether he currently satisfies every requirement. If he does, he will become the first candidate to formally announce a challenge to Infantino in the next election.

Infantino seeking another term

Infantino, 56, has been FIFA president since 2016. The election is scheduled to take place during the FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 March 2027.

The FIFA president has faced criticism since the proposed commercial company was announced. Opposition has emerged from several major continental confederations, including UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

Despite that resistance, no single candidate representing those confederations has yet been announced to challenge Infantino.

The deadline for submitting applications for the FIFA presidency remains 18 November, with the result due to be decided at the FIFA Congress in March 2027.