UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has officially ruled out running against Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency at the upcoming election scheduled for March 18, 2027, in Rabat, Morocco. Speaking on the British podcast The Rest is Politics, Čeferin stated plainly that he has no personal interest in the position, positioning himself instead as a leading architect of the ongoing political resistance against the incumbent FIFA chief.
Why Čeferin is Passing on the FIFA Presidency
Rather than seeking the top job at world football’s governing body, Čeferin argued that remaining outside the race preserves his independence and effectiveness. Čeferin has led UEFA since 2016, and his current mandate at the European governing body also concludes in 2027.
The decision avoids what would have been a high-profile, direct leadership clash between two of football’s most powerful officials. Instead, European leadership plans to orchestrate a transcontinental strategy aimed at unseating Infantino through a unified consensus candidate.
Escalating Tensions and the Search for a Challenger
Infantino faces the deepest crisis of his tenure following the collapse of his controversial proposal to open the governing body’s commercial and World Cup assets to external private investors.
,regionOfInterest=(973,358)&hash=8b83b9cf4d8034de40926cba41439a453ffd9a9492039ed78ddb86895b42de88 "Photo: focus.de")
UEFA, alongside the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), recently signed a joint declaration aimed at consolidating global opposition. CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani has emerged alongside European leadership as a prominent voice of dissent. While Infantino remains the sole declared candidate and has actively courted support abroad—recently visiting the Dominican Republic—UEFA intends to back a competitive challenger before the FIFA nomination deadline expires on November 18.
The Road to the March 2027 Vote in Rabat
The upcoming presidential election will be decided by a majority vote among FIFA’s 211 member associations. European officials recognize that defeating an incumbent requires broad support extending beyond Europe, necessitating careful coalition-building across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Discussions among allied federations have even touched upon alternative governance structures, such as a rotational presidency model.
As both men approach the end of their respective organizational cycles, the political contest within world football enters a critical phase. With the nomination window closing in late November, attention now shifts to whether European and allied regional bodies will formally present a consensus rival to test Infantino’s remaining backing.
Keep reading
