Infantino to seek fourth term as FIFA president
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed he will run for re-election in March next year, despite backlash over his plan to bring private investment into the World Cup.
FIFA announced on Sunday that its current president, Gianni Infantino, will stand in the March 2027 election for a fourth and final permitted term. The confirmation comes despite criticism sparked by his plan to attract private investment for the World Cup, which FIFA was forced to abandon in late July following widespread protests.
A FIFA spokesperson said Infantino had already announced his intention to run again back in April, and that nothing has changed since. If re-elected, the 56-year-old Swiss official would remain at FIFA's helm until 2031. Infantino himself, currently in Poland for the Women's U-20 World Cup, declined on Saturday to answer questions about his future.
Clash with European football leadership
Over the investment scheme, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) had accused Infantino of "criminal mismanagement" and threatened to boycott all FIFA competitions, including both the men's and women's World Cups, unless the decision was reversed. UEFA's position was backed by CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation.
At the same time, Infantino retains broad support elsewhere — Saudi Arabia, host of the 2034 World Cup, backed him last month, alongside the African and South American football confederations. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is seen as his most likely rival, while UEFA head Aleksander Čeferin has ruled out running.
So far, Infantino is the only publicly announced candidate for the election, in which he will need a simple majority among FIFA's 211 member associations. He has led FIFA since 2016. Candidate nominations for next year's election must be submitted by November 18.
