Ceferin won’t challenge Infantino for FIFA presidency but tells him to quit

What the report says

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said he is not interested in running for FIFA president, but he argued that current FIFA chief Gianni Infantino should step aside or face a challenge if he seeks another term. Al Jazeera, citing AFP and Reuters, reported that Ceferin made the remarks on The Rest is Politics podcast and said staying at UEFA and protecting his credibility were key reasons for ruling himself out.

The comments come after Infantino faced growing criticism over a now-abandoned plan to seek private investment for a company that would help run FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup. Al Jazeera reported that UEFA has threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions, while several continental and national federations have withdrawn support for Infantino. Ceferin said the FIFA president’s position no longer appears secure and predicted that a challenger could emerge if Infantino stands again at the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March.

According to the report, Ceferin has not spoken with Infantino since the controversy began. He said support for a leader in football now depends not only on voting blocs but also on backing from fans, players and coaches. Al Jazeera noted that regional bodies including AFC and CONCACAF have aligned with UEFA, and that possible rivals could include CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani or AFC chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa.

Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, has continued to present himself as a defender of smaller football nations and has sought support in the Caribbean and elsewhere. FIFA did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.