—- World football federation FIFA has reaffirmed that Gianni Infantino will stand for re-election as president in March, declaring that “nothing has changed” despite increasing pressure from European football authorities and several prominent member associations for him to step down.

First elected in 2016 after the corruption scandal that ousted Sepp Blatter, Infantino is seeking a fourth—and final—four-year term that would extend his presidency to 2031.

Although Infantino initially announced his intention to run during the FIFA Congress in April 2026, the reaffirmation comes at a critical juncture.

The global governing body has experienced months of administrative friction following a controversial proposal to sell a private equity stake in the commercial rights and future profits of the FIFA World Cup through a commercial subsidiary.

The crux of the opposition stems from Infantino’s attempt to introduce private investment into FIFA’s core competitions.

The plan, which reportedly proposed selling a 20% stake in commercial revenues, drew immediate and fierce pushback from UEFA, as well as joint criticism from CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation. Critics argued that privatizing profits would undermine football’s traditional financial governance and disproportionately favour central commercial entities over regional football eco-systems.

Although FIFA officially scrapped the proposal and issued an apology acknowledging errors in its rollout, the political fallout has been severe.

UEFA led calls for Infantino’s resignation, alleging a breach of trust and at one point threatening to boycott future FIFA tournaments. The dispute has escalated legally, with European football’s governing body taking steps to initiate legal proceedings in Switzerland and filing discovery petitions in US courts regarding FIFA’s internal handling of the initiative.

The political landscape surrounding Infantino has shifted noticeably. While he previously enjoyed near-unanimous endorsement, several influential European federations – including the Football Associations of England, Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland – have publicly withdrawn their support.

Despite the loss of key European backing, Infantino retains vital support among continental confederations in South America and Africa, where FIFA’s revenue redistribution programs have historically found strong approval.

However, unlike his previous campaign in 2019 where he was re-elected unopposed, Infantino is likely to face a formal challenger. Challengers have until November 18 to submit nominations, requiring the formal support of at least 106 of FIFA’s 211 member associations to enter the race.

Speaking briefly at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, Infantino declined to elaborate on the political friction, stating that “there will be a right place and a right time” to address the situation.

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