Gianni Infantino's bid for re-election as FIFA president has received a significant boost. Victor Montagliani, the current head of Concacaf, has confirmed that he will not challenge Infantino in the upcoming presidential election. Montagliani was seen as a potential rival after Infantino's plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors sparked a global backlash. However, Montagliani has now informed colleagues that he will seek a final term as head of Concacaf, which governs North and Central America and the Caribbean.
Infantino, 56, has confirmed that he will be seeking a fourth term in the presidential election in March. The Canadian, 61, Montagliani was widely seen as a possible candidate, but he never confirmed his intentions to challenge Infantino. With Montagliani out of the running, the rebellion against Infantino, led by the European governing body UEFA, must now try to identify a unifying candidate by the deadline of 18 November.
Aleksander Ceferin, the current UEFA president, has announced that he will stand for a fourth term. Ceferin informed delegates of his decision at a meeting of all 55 national association chiefs in Berlin. This move was widely anticipated and reverses his previous statement that he would not seek re-election. Ceferin has ruled out standing against Infantino himself but is committed to finding a candidate around which the game can unite in March's FIFA election.
UEFA has published a 14-point plan to reform world football's governing body. The plan centres around institutional governance and removes some of the direct powers of the president. UEFA also reaffirmed its opposition to Infantino, who scrapped his sell-off plan following widespread opposition. The plan includes measures such as removing presidential or executive interference from oversight bodies and making at least $10m of additional funding available to each of the 211 member associations.
Former Tottenham Hotspur and Switzerland defender Ramon Vega has expressed interest in standing against Infantino. However, it is unclear whether he can garner the five letters of support required to get on the ballot paper. UEFA has emphasized that institutional reform will not be enough and that FIFA needs new leadership: a respected and unifying figure with the vision and experience to lead.
Ceferin has thanked the national associations for their trust and emphasized his commitment to keeping European football united and making the game stronger. He has also stated that his ambition remains the same: to leave UEFA ready for the next generation. The Slovenian was initially elected in 2016 and has been embroiled in a row over UEFA's change to its statutes to allow him to serve a fourth term.
Infantino's re-election bid has received a significant boost with Montagliani's decision not to run. The FIFA president has made a bigger cash pledge to FIFA members and has stated that he is open to talks over FIFA reform. However, UEFA and CONCACAF have demanded that FIFA pays $10m to all 211 members. The outcome of the presidential election in March remains uncertain, with Infantino facing opposition from UEFA and its member associations.
Key points
- Victor Montagliani will not challenge Gianni Infantino in the FIFA presidential election.
- Aleksander Ceferin will stand for a fourth term as UEFA president.
- UEFA has published a 14-point plan to reform world football's governing body.
