UEFA vice-president Laura McAllister says it will be difficult to find a strong enough candidate to challenge Gianni Infantino in next year’s election for the FIFA presidency.
McAllister said: “Finding a challenger to Gianni Infantino is not easy” during an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW), as FIFA continues to face criticism over Infantino’s failed attempt to sell a stake in the organisation to an investment group led by the brother of the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump.
The proposal was dropped after strong opposition from a number of football organisations, including UEFA. European football’s governing body had threatened to boycott the next FIFA World Cup if the plan had proceeded.
Despite the controversy surrounding the proposed sale, Infantino has maintained sufficient support to remain on course for re-election as FIFA president next year.
McAllister said the central issue was now identifying a credible candidate with the backing and standing required to mount a serious challenge against the incumbent.
Her comments underline the difficulty of turning opposition to Infantino into an organised electoral challenge. While criticism of the proposed investment arrangement was widespread, that has not, according to McAllister, automatically produced an alternative candidate capable of competing for the FIFA presidency.
The UEFA vice-president’s remarks came as FIFA continues to deal with the consequences of the abandoned proposal. The plan’s collapse followed pressure from several parts of the football authorities, with UEFA among those taking the strongest position by warning that its teams could boycott the next World Cup.
Infantino, however, has retained enough backing within FIFA to keep his re-election campaign on course. That support means any potential challenger would need not only to emerge as a credible figure, but also to gather enough backing to pose a meaningful threat in next year’s vote.
McAllister did not identify a possible rival to Infantino in the interview. Instead, she highlighted the broader challenge facing those seeking a change at the top of world football’s governing body.
Her assessment suggests that opposition to a particular FIFA proposal is not the same as having an agreed alternative to the president. Finding a candidate able to unite that opposition and compete effectively remains the main obstacle, she said.
Infantino’s position therefore remains relatively strong despite the criticism generated by the planned sale. Unless a credible opponent can be found and secure sufficient support, he remains on course to continue as FIFA president after next year’s election.
