FIFA Power Struggle - The Chances of Gianni Infantino's Opponents

European associations are calling for reforms at FIFA and a withdrawal of President Gianni Infantino. But so far there is no opponent for the 2027 presidential election. By Robert Kempe, Chaled Nahar, Maximilian Rieger Does the attempt to overthrow Infantino fail? UEFA has simply lost pace at the moment. That has to be said, said former FIFA media director Guido Tognoni in an interview with Sportschau. “And if they don’t pick up soon, the whole thing could end in a fiasco.” Tognoni says: Infantino could be re-elected in March 2027 without fundamental reforms to FIFA structures. Why is there no opponent yet? UEFA has only named one profile, but not one person. The few reasonably promising candidates declined. “There are people who already have the ambitions, but they don’t admit it because they are afraid that they will lose,” says Tognoni. While UEFA is looking for a candidate, Infantino takes advantage of his office. A private aircraft from FIFA sponsor Qatar Airways is available to the FIFA President. Infantino is thus catching votes worldwide. “He can get a head start,” Tognoni says. “He can bring the Mercedes catalogue to the presidents so they know what to do with the money.” In addition to a strategy and a network, a candidate needs above all a corresponding budget for an election campaign that has been running for a long time - or perhaps has been running for a long time. Infantino has rebuilt his power base: South America and large parts of Oceania and Asia are at his side. African associations also support Infantino. At a meeting in Cape Verde, Africa’s head of association Patrice Motsepe even called for collective applause for Infantino. We support him, we support him in the election. I want you all to stand up and we all clap for Gianni, Motsepe said. Infantino always used development money as a power tool and increased payments per association from 10 to 25 million US dollars until 2030. Mauritania’s president, Ahmed Yahya, is a FIFA Council member and praised: “We see that Gianni is the right person to continue to lead football.” Who would be a candidate? The search for a counter-candidate remains speculative. Most recently, Michele Kang was acted by "L'Équipe" as a possible candidate. She is a US investor who is active in women’s football. The BBC reported on a possible candidacy of the current FIFA director and former Arsenal coach Arsène Wenger. In principle, however, no one has confirmed a candidacy. So far, there have only been cancellations: PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi, a powerful Qatari official in Europe, spoke of having "zero interest" in the post.CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani, who was long considered a possible Crown Prince of Infantinos, is no longer making claims according to media reports.UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin also preferred a renewed candidacy in Europe. Why is it time for UEFA? The deadline for a nomination ends on November 18. While Infantino is already enlisting worldwide support for his re-election, UEFA has not yet nominated a candidate. This is also pointed out by Norway’s Association President Lise Klaveness in an interview with the Sportschau. She criticized Infantino for years and found no competitors until the investor deal. We have been dealing with this issue for four or five years, but other countries have not. Therefore, we now have less time than would be desirable. Is Infantino ready for real change? The affair over the suspended suspension of the US striker Folarin Balogun at the World Cup, the awarding of the FIFA Peace Prize, the reforms in the association management demanded by UEFA - all this was discussed at a meeting of the FIFA Council in Zurich on Thursday. The FIFA Council agreed with Infantino, according to a communication, to refer all these issues to appropriate working groups and commissions. “We asked a lot of critical questions, and in my view there were no satisfactory answers,” said DFB President Bernd Neuendorf after the appointment. The reforms requested by UEFA are similar to those agreed in 2016. But in 2024, FIFA’s national associations almost unanimously decided to abolish crucial parts of it and to promote the concentration of power in the FIFA president. At least 46 of the 55 UEFA associations voted for this step - only now is the change of heart. What role does legal pressure play? In recent weeks, it has become clear that the opposition is seeking incriminating material to pressure Infantino or force him to resign. UEFA is currently demanding legal documents in the USA on FIFA’s failed investor deal. “The purpose could be to get information – in the hope that this information shows a misconduct to create public pressure,” sports law expert Antoine Duval told the Sportschau. UEFA is seeking criminal proceedings against Infantino in Switzerland. The sale never happened. UEFA accuses Infantino of pushing the business forward at all: If it had come about, it would have damaged the assets of FIFA and its members. UEFA considers the then called purchase price of 4.2 billion US dollars for 20 percent of the marketing rights at the World Cup to be much too low. Until the election, however, the Duval should play no role. “Even if a criminal complaint is filed with the Swiss public prosecutor’s office, it is likely to take several years for a judge to make a decision,” Duval said. "And until a final judicial ..."