FIFA Confirms Infantino Will Seek Re-Election As President In 2027
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EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JULY 19: FIFA President Gianni Infantino arrives at the stadium before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)
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Getty ImagesIt’s official.
Gianni Infantino will seek re-election as FIFA president.
FIFA, soccer’s governing body, confirmed on Sunday that he will vie for a fourth term in 2027.
That is not earth-shattering news, but FIFA left no doubt.
“The FIFA President announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027,” FIFA said in a statement, according to Reuters. “Of course, nothing has changed. Mr. Infantino will be standing for re-election.”
Infantino, 56, has been embroiled in a major global controversy since he unveiled his FIFA Forward Enterprise plan on July 28. His proposal would have sold as much as 20 percent of the stake in future World Cups to investors valued at around $20 billion. Interested investors included JP Morgan Bank, tech investor Joshua Kushner, the brother of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared, and several others.
UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation, including several countries, have criticized the plan.
Since then, there have been calls for Infantino to resign. However, he has held steadfast.
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HAMM, GERMANY - NOVEMBER 07: U 17 EM QUALIFIKATION 2001, Hamm; DEUTSCHLAND - RUSSLAND, (GER - RUS) 2:1; UEFA FAHNE/LOGO (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Bongarts/Getty ImagesUEFA vs. FIFA
UEFA threatened to boycott future World Cups and FIFA-sponsored events in response to Infantino. Europe’s soccer governing body decided not to pull its teams from the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup, which kicked off in Poland on Saturday.
On Aug. 27, UEFA made a request in U.S. District Court in New York for the disclosure of documents, with the possibility of “criminal proceedings” against Infantino over his sell-off plan, The Athletic reported.
UEFA accused Infantino of “promoting” a “fraudulently off-market price for his own benefit.”
FIFA has retaliated, claiming that UEFA has launched “smear campaign” against its president.
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KATOWICE, POLAND - SEPTEMBER 5: The President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino speaks to the press ahead of the Poland vs Argentina FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup first-round match on September 5, 2026 in Katowice, Poland. (Photo by Omar Marques/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesInfantino has tried to keep a low public profile since the scandal broke in July.
After arriving in Katowice, Poland, for the start of the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup on Saturday, Sept. 5, Sky Sports News of England caught up with him on Saturday.
Infantino refused to answer questions as to his future as FIFA boss.
The Sky Sports reporter asked: “A lot of the world’s been waiting to hear from you. Are you ….”
Then Infantino interrupted him:
“I’m very happy to be. Let me say, here in beautiful Poland, in Katowice. A fantastic city for the Under-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup. It’s great. This is what we do. This is about giving opportunities, giving chances to teams, to players, to talents from all over the world, increasing the number of participants. That’s what we do.”
Infantino smiled at times during the interview.
“For all the rest, you know, there will be a lot to say, but there will be a right place and the right time to say this,” he said. “It’s not today, it’s not here. … And today we are enjoying football. We are continuing at FIFA, of course, to work to give every corner of the world a chance, an opportunity, a dignity to find ways and means for them to become better and to participate and to celebrate football, which we all love.”
Infantino then was asked: “Are you definitely fighting Are you definitely fighting the election? Are you definitely fighting the election or have you considered resigning? Do you apologize to the fans?”
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino (L) and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani (R) pose with the FIFA World Cup trophy during an event in New York after an announcement related to the staging of the FIFA World Cup 2026, on June 16, 2022. Mexico City's iconic Azteca Stadium and the Los Angeles Rams' multi-billion-dollar SoFi Stadium were among 16 venues named on June 16 to stage games at the 2026 World Cup being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico. (Photo by Yuki IWAMURA / AFP via Getty Images)
AFP via Getty ImagesNo challengers for Infantino, yet
No challengers have stepped forward yet, although Concacaf President Victor Montagliani of Canada has been mentioned as a potential candidate.
All candidates must apply for election by Nov. 18 and have the endorsement of at least five FIFA member associations.
The election is set for Rabat, Morocco, on March 18, 2027. A candidate needs a majority of the 211 FIFA member associations to win.
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KATOWICE, POLAND - SEPTEMBER 5: The President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino watches the Poland vs Argentina FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup first-round match on September 5, 2026 in Katowice, Poland. (Photo by Omar Marques/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesSoccer fans demonstrate their anger
The Infantino controversy has also angered soccer fans.
On Friday morning, Sept. 4, they put up a billboard in Times Square in New York City, demanding that Infantino resign. The billboard is on the corner of 1500 Broadway and West 43rd St.
The billboard had two separate messages:
SOCCER CONFEDERATIONS:
REMOVE INFANTINO
INFANTINO OUT
and
FIFA
DESERVES
A LEADER
NOT A DEALER
INFANTINO OUT
According to the Daily Mail, this is the statement fans made about the beleaguered FIFA president:
“We are football fans first and foremost and believe we echo the feelings of fans everywhere regarding Infantino and the threat he poses to the future of football.
“He deceived, blackmailed, and threatened FIFA, his team, and the wider global football leadership in order to sell international football to people who have ties to deeply unsavory activities, and who have no interest in the fans except as profit centers.
“Infantino, who is meant to protect football from such grave dangers, enthusiastically offered it up on a platter, paving the way with a fake ‘Peace Prize’, and only stipulating that he gets a cut. Shameful.
“We call on fans everywhere to make it clear Infantino is persona non grata at their stadiums and to demand the confederations they’re members of remove him as soon as possible.
“Until he is removed, we demand action: We call on federations and confederations to revoke invitations and/or ban Infantino from tournaments and matches
“Gianni Infantino is not a leader; he is a dealer who tried to sell the World Cup and, more disturbingly, the children’s World Cup. We should all be shocked and disgusted by the latter.’ ”
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AL WAKRAH, QATAR - NOVEMBER 24: (L-R) Samuel Etoo, FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the World Cup match between Switzerland v Cameroon at the Al Janoub Stadium on November 24, 2022 in Al Wakrah Qatar (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Getty ImagesSupport from Africa, Mexico, Cameroon
Infantino has received support from the Confederation of African Football, CONMEBOL (South America), and Mexico.
Cameroonian Football Federation President Samuel Eto’o gave his support on CNN, on Aug. 24.
“I don’t think that President Gianni Infantino has done anything wrong,” Eto’o told CNN. “I think the timing of all of that is because there’s an election coming out, when Gianni Infantino is standing. That’s all there is.”
Eto’o continued: “He made a proposal: the 211 members were supposed to sit down, debate the issue, and let the majority win. But I am convinced that the voices that were raised, those were not the voices of the majority.”
He added: “He’s given opportunities to nations that didn’t have those opportunities to take part in the most beautiful tournament, the World Cup,” Eto’o said. “He enabled smaller nations to get seats at these competitions. He has helped our continent. He’s helped our federations to develop much more quickly. We should support him for everything he’s done up to now.”
Michael Lewis, the sixth recipient of the Clay Berling Media Career of Excellence Award in 2025, can be followed on X an Bluesky at @Soccerwriter. His 10th soccer book, Around the World Cup in 40 Years: An American sportswriter’s perspective, has been published.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com