European Football Insiders Eye Potential Challenger to Infantino
As the clock ticks down to the Fifa presidential election in March, Gianni Infantino's re-election hopes could face a serious challenge. European football leaders are optimistic about identifying a contender to take him on, particularly as tensions rise over recent controversies.
A prominent figure among the European football associations expressed to the Guardian their belief that Infantino will not be unopposed in the upcoming vote. This sentiment is shared by other key players within Uefa and various national federations, ahead of a vital Fifa council meeting scheduled for Thursday.
Uefa, along with Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, has made it clear that they stand against Infantino's bid for re-election, especially following the fallout from the World Cup sell-off scandal. However, unifying behind a strong candidate has proven tricky as the November 18 nomination deadline approaches.
The leaders of the three confederations, Aleksander Ceferin, Victor Montagliani, and Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa, have all ruled themselves out of the running. Suggestions that well-known figures like Arsène Wenger or Michele Kang might step forward have been quickly dismissed.
Former Portugal star Luis Figo, who was one of the first to call for Infantino's resignation back in August, has also been mentioned as a possibility. Yet, he's also seen as a potential future Uefa president when Ceferin’s term ends in 2031.
Despite the seemingly limited candidate pool, insiders in the anti-Infantino camp insist they are making strides. According to a source, the eventual challenger is likely to wait until just before the deadline to announce their candidacy, aiming to limit the time available for Fifa to undermine their nomination. There’s a belief that Infantino’s re-election campaign is being bolstered by the Fifa administration itself.
In the meantime, Infantino is set to face tough questions from the 37-member Fifa council, covering various issues including the abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise plan, the Fifa peace prize, and the recent controversy surrounding the Folarin Balogun case.
To counter potential backlash over the disciplinary decision linked to Balogun, which was influenced by Donald Trump’s intervention, Infantino has proposed a change that would strip the disciplinary committee of the ability to overturn one-match bans for players receiving direct red cards.
On Thursday, Infantino has promised to deliver a comprehensive report on the FFE, though, in a shift from standard protocol, this document has not been shared with council members beforehand.
