Rabat – Arsène Wenger is reportedly being considered as a potential challenger to FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of the governing body’s presidential election in Morocco next March.
The Times reported that figures opposed to Infantino’s leadership are exploring whether Wenger could enter the race before nominations close on November 18. The 77th FIFA Congress will elect the next president in Rabat on March 18, 2027.
Wenger has not publicly indicated that he intends to stand. The 76-year-old Frenchman has worked inside FIFA since 2019, when the governing body appointed him Chief of Global Football Development.
His name has entered the conversation at a moment when UEFA is openly pushing for change at the top of FIFA.
UEFA’s 55 member associations met in Berlin on Thursday and outlined the profile they want from a future FIFA president. Their statement called for a leader with strong football credentials, international credibility and a commitment to reform, integrity and independence. UEFA also said institutional changes alone would not be enough and called for new leadership at FIFA.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin will not take that role himself. He confirmed this week that he will seek another term as UEFA president in April 2027, which removes one of the most prominent names previously linked with a challenge to Infantino
Wenger’s position inside FIFA adds another dimension to the speculation.
He publicly distanced himself from Infantino’s controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal in August. The project sought private investment in a new commercial entity connected to FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, but FIFA abandoned the plan after strong opposition.
Read also: CAF and 54 African Federations Back Infantino for FIFA Re-Election
Wenger said at the time that he had not been involved in developing the proposal and described the decision to withdraw it as “absolutely necessary and beyond question.” He also stressed his belief in a FIFA that operates with transparency and integrity.
Infantino nevertheless remains firmly in the race.
His campaign received a major boost in Cape Verde this week. CAF President Patrice Motsepe said all 54 African member associations had agreed to give Infantino their “unconditional support” for re-election. The backing gives him support from more than a quarter of FIFA’s 211 voting associations.
Infantino already has at least one publicly declared challenger. Former Switzerland and Tottenham defender Ramon Vega announced this week that he intends to run for the presidency. Vega must still satisfy FIFA’s nomination requirements before he can appear on the ballot. Candidates need support from at least five member associations.
With the November 18 deadline approaching, the field for the Rabat election is still taking shape. Wenger’s emergence as a possible option adds one of world football’s most recognizable figures to a contest that has increasingly become tied to the wider debate over FIFA’s leadership and governance.
