UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin says he will not challenge Gianni Infantino for FIFA presidency

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin says he will not stand against Gianni Infantino in the 2027 FIFA presidential election, but believes the FIFA president should resign.

Speaking on The Rest is Politics, Ceferin said: “I will not run against Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency, but he should resign from his position.”

The next FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027, with Infantino facing growing divisions within football’s governing bodies.

Ceferin said he had no intention of seeking the position himself, partly because he wanted to continue leading UEFA.

“One of the reasons is my love for working at UEFA, and my credibility would be much higher if I were not interested in the position,” he said.

The UEFA president also outlined what he believes are the two possible paths for Infantino.

“There are two options: either Infantino realises that he does not have the support not only of the voters, but also of the football community, fans, players and coaches, or he runs in the election in March. But in that case, I think he will have a rival candidate, and I do not know who it is yet.”

Infantino, who was previously UEFA’s general secretary, received strong backing from European countries when he succeeded Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2016.

However, UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF recently issued an open letter accusing Infantino of breaking the trust of the football system and placing himself above the game.

The dispute followed an attempt to sell commercial rights connected to the World Cup. The federations said the move had been pursued too quickly and without sufficient consultation, in an effort to avoid wider discussion.

Despite the criticism, Infantino continues to receive support from several confederations. The Confederation of African Football, CONMEBOL and the Oceania Football Confederation remain behind him, with New Zealand the exception among the Oceania members.

The Egyptian Football Association, led by Hany Abu Rida, also issued a joint statement with six other associations in support of Infantino.

During a filmed meeting on a visit to the Dominican Republic, Infantino responded to the wider debate without directly addressing Ceferin’s comments.

“It is important to participate, to engage in dialogue, and to express opinions and points of view,” Infantino said.

“A lot has happened over the past few weeks, and it is important that you hear and listen, and that you are also able to express your feelings. So I think the situation is generally positive, and I am very happy with all the support I am receiving here.”

Ceferin’s decision not to stand is significant because it removes one of the most prominent potential challengers to Infantino, while his call for the FIFA president to step down highlights the depth of the disagreement inside the international game.

Infantino’s future will now depend on whether he seeks another mandate in March 2027 and whether an alternative candidate emerges to contest the election.