UEFA is prepared to support a candidate from outside Europe to challenge Gianni Infantino in the 2027 FIFA presidential election, as European football’s governing body considers how best to reshape the organisation’s leadership.
The election will take place in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 March 2027, with the campaign already generating significant debate. UEFA is monitoring developments closely, particularly as Infantino remains under scrutiny over a currently suspended project to privatise the World Cup by opening it up to investment funds.
The deadline for submitting nominations is 18 November.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, who is opposed to Infantino, has already indicated that he does not intend to stand for the FIFA presidency. However, UEFA still plans to back an opponent in an effort to renew FIFA’s structures, in which the European confederation remains a dominant force.
Officials in Nyon are following the potential challengers closely. UEFA is reluctant to put forward a European candidate because it does not want the election to be viewed as a direct contest between FIFA and UEFA, or as a battle that sidelines the other confederations.
One option acceptable to UEFA is Victor Montagliani, the 60-year-old Canadian who has led the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and has served as a FIFA vice-president since 2016.
Montagliani was born in Vancouver to Italian parents and has extensive knowledge of European football. UEFA is nevertheless waiting to learn more about his plans before deciding whether he fully matches its vision for FIFA.
If his project does not align with UEFA’s priorities, the organisation could seek a European alternative as a last resort. Its broader preference, however, is to break with the pattern of consecutive European presidents.
The next FIFA president would otherwise follow Switzerland’s Joseph Blatter, who held the role from 1998 to 2016, and Infantino, who won the 2016 election before being re-elected in 2023. The president before Blatter was Brazil’s Joao Havelange, who served from 1974 to 1998.
UEFA’s priority is to find a figure capable of bringing the different football associations together. The coming weeks are expected to be decisive in identifying the opposition candidate to Infantino.
Infantino, meanwhile, has a significant advantage as the process develops. Each passing day benefits the FIFA president, who has effectively been conducting an unofficial election campaign for several months.
Previous reports have also suggested that UEFA could support Asian Football Confederation president Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa of Bahrain if he decides to stand. Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been mentioned as another possible option, although he has said he is happy in his current position.
