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FIFA President Infantino Stands for Re-Election Amid Leadership Challenge
Confirmed
In Short: FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced he will stand for re-election in 2027, despite facing continued pressure and a potential criminal case over his scrapped World Cup sell-off plan.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, has been under pressure following his scrapped plan to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investment firms. The European nations, which had threatened to boycott the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, backed down last week after receiving assurances from FIFA that the plan would not be revived.
Infantino has largely kept out of the spotlight since the plan's failure, declining to comment on the leadership challenge he faces. He told British broadcaster Sky News, 'There will be a lot to say, but there will be a right place and a right time to say this. It’s not today, it’s not here, but here and today, we are enjoying football.
Legal action over the original attempt continues, and Europe has a leading role in efforts to oust Infantino ahead of next year’s FIFA election. The Football Associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland have publicly withdrawn support since the plan was announced, and BBC Sport understands UEFA is confident that a candidate can be found to stand against Infantino.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- Infantino infuriated football leaders worldwide in July, shortly after the World Cup ended, when his plan for a $20bn subsidiary controlling FIFA commercial rights, including the World Cup, was revealed by British daily The Times.
- Infantino, who faces continuing pressure and the prospect of a criminal case, was in the stands speaking with Polish football federation president Cezary Kulesza as hosts Poland faced Argentina on the opening day of the tournament on Saturday.
- “We are continuing at FIFA, of course, to work to give every corner of the world a chance, an opportunity, a dignity, to find ways and means for them to become better and to participate and to celebrate football, which we all love.” Infantino did not answer when asked if he had considered resigning or whether he still intends to stand for a fourth term next year.
- Infantino had mostly kept out of the spotlight in the weeks since his World Cup sell-off plan fell apart amid opposition from many FIFA member nations and some of his own officials.
- A court filing by FIFA on Thursday accused UEFA of running a “smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership” as the European football body seeks discovery of evidence related to the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.
- The spinoff was to be 20 percent owned by investors led by a New York fund created by Joshua Kushner, whose initial money was to pay offers of $20m to each of FIFA’s 211 member federations.
- "The Fifa president announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027," read a Fifa statement.
- Gianni Infantino replaced Sepp Blatter as Fifa president Fifa president Gianni Infantino will stand for re-election in March, says football's world governing body.