Rabat – Gianni Infantino had appeared certain to stand unopposed in FIFA’s 2027 presidential election, but the crisis surrounding his abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal has created the possibility of the first contested race for world football’s top position since 2016.
Infantino confirmed at the FIFA Congress in Vancouver in April that he would seek another mandate. The election for the 2027–2031 term will take place during the 77th FIFA Congress in Rabat on March 18, 2027, not March 17, as stated in some reports.
FIFA’s senior leadership publicly reaffirmed its support for Infantino following an emergency meeting in Rabat on Wednesday. However, UEFA has maintained that it no longer has confidence in his presidency, while the federations of Wales, Sweden and Serbia have withdrawn their previous endorsements. England’s Football Association is also expected to withdraw its backing.
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Despite the growing opposition, no rival has formally entered the race. FIFA’s electoral rules also mean that criticizing Infantino is considerably easier than assembling a campaign capable of defeating him.
Who is allowed to stand?
A prospective candidate must have played an active role in association football during at least two of the five years preceding the election. That involvement can include work as a player, coach, administrator or official within FIFA, a confederation, a national association, a league or a club.
The candidate must also obtain written declarations of support from at least five of FIFA’s 211 member associations. Each federation can formally nominate only one candidate, preventing it from endorsing Infantino while simultaneously helping a rival qualify for the ballot.
Candidates must submit their nominations by November 18, exactly four months before the vote. They must then pass FIFA’s required eligibility and integrity checks before being formally admitted to the election.
Five endorsements are enough to enter the contest, but they are far from sufficient to win it. A credible challenger would have to build support across several confederations rather than relying solely on opposition from European federations.
UEFA has told Sky News the “conditions have not been met” to lift its boycott of the World Cup and there is still a lack of confidence in Gianni Infantino – despite his apology.
Sky’s @RobHarris reports pic.twitter.com/bUC5suEum3
— Sky News (@SkyNews) August 6, 2026
UEFA Vice-President Laura McAllister acknowledged that challenge this week, saying a successful candidate would need to unite world football and obtain support beyond Europe.
How does the vote work?
Every FIFA member association has one vote, regardless of its population, football history or financial power. Morocco therefore has the same voting weight as every other member of the organization.
The presidential vote is held by secret ballot when more than one candidate stands. Public endorsements from confederations do not compel individual federations to vote together, meaning declared regional support does not always translate into the same number of votes.
A candidate requires two-thirds of the valid votes cast to win in the opening round. If nobody reaches that threshold, subsequent ballots are decided by a simple majority of more than 50%.
If all 211 associations participate and cast valid votes, 106 would represent a majority. The precise requirement can be lower when some members abstain, are absent, or submit invalid ballots.
When more than two candidates are involved, additional rounds can be held, with the lowest-ranked contender eliminated until one candidate obtains the required majority.
Infantino’s first victory illustrates how the process can change between ballots. He received 115 votes in the second round of the 2016 election, defeating Asian Football Confederation President Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who collected 88.
When only one eligible candidate remains, FIFA can elect that person by acclamation without conducting a secret ballot.
Infantino was returned unopposed through that procedure in both 2019 and 2023. FIFA considers the 2019-2023 period his first full term because his initial mandate from 2016 completed the term previously held by Sepp Blatter. He is consequently eligible to serve through 2031.
Who could challenge Infantino?
Concacaf President Victor Montagliani has emerged as the most concrete potential challenger. The Canadian football administrator is reportedly considering entering the contest, although he has not formally declared his candidacy.
Montagliani already occupies a senior position within FIFA as a vice-president and has experience building relationships across North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney publicly described him as a respected football administrator after saying he no longer had confidence in Infantino.
Other figures mentioned as possible candidates include UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin, Sheikh Salman, Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness.
However, none had announced a campaign as of August 6. Their inclusion in discussions reflects speculation about possible alternatives rather than confirmed candidacies.
Čeferin could potentially mobilize significant European backing, while Sheikh Salman has already contested a FIFA election. Klaveness has gained prominence through her positions on governance and accountability, but any of these figures would need support from Africa, Asia, the Americas and Oceania to become a serious threat.
Infantino continues to enjoy significant backing among smaller and developing associations, particularly in Africa and Asia, where FIFA’s development programs provide essential funding for infrastructure and national competitions. That support could remain decisive because every federation’s vote carries equal weight.
Opponents also have a route to challenge Infantino before March. Written requests from one-fifth of FIFA’s membership, 43 associations, can trigger an Extraordinary Congress. A majority would then be needed to remove him, making such an attempt possible but politically difficult.
