Opinions, analysis and commentary
A successor to Gianni Infantino would most likely come from inside FIFA’s own council, not from a political outsider parachuted in. UEFA’s Aleksander Ceferin and CONCACAF’s Victor Montagliani are the two names circulating most seriously, both sitting vice presidents with genuine standing among member federations. Neither has declared a candidacy, and Montagliani is reportedly reluctant to run at all. The stronger story right now isn’t who replaces Infantino, but whether enough federations can actually force the question before his term is due to end.
The break traces to a single proposal. In late July 2026, Infantino pitched member associations on FIFA Forward Enterprise, a plan to spin off a commercial subsidiary valued near 20 billion dollars and sell outside investors up to a 20 percent stake, reportedly alongside a 40 million dollar payout offer to each of FIFA’s 211 members.
UEFA voted to boycott FIFA competitions if the plan went ahead and later said it had lost confidence in his leadership, while the AFC and CONCACAF accused FIFA of a fundamental breach of trust in a joint statement. Infantino scrapped the plan on August 1, but the damage held.
On August 19, FIFA’s own fifth vice president, Sandor Csanyi, publicly withdrew his support, and federations including Wales and Finland pulled their backing for the re-election bid. Under FIFA’s statutes, a no-confidence motion cannot be raised by a single federation.
It requires 20 percent of the 211 member associations, roughly 43 countries, to request an extraordinary congress in writing, and the council must then convene it within three months on an agenda that cannot be altered. UEFA’s 55 members alone could clear that bar, as could the AFC’s 47.
| Confederation | Stance on Infantino | Voting Power |
| UEFA | Publicly withdrew confidence; threatened to boycott FIFA events over the failed stake-sale plan. | 55 |
| AFC | Issued a joint statement condemning Infantino; currently weighing a no-confidence push. | 46 (Nepal suspended) |
| CONCACAF | Formally rejected the proposal; actively exploring a historic no-confidence vote. | 35 |
| CAF | Unanimously backed Infantino; President Patrice Motsepe strongly reaffirms Africa’s support. | 54 |
| CONMEBOL | Closely aligned with Infantino; no public break reported. | 10 |
| OFC | No public break reported; historically reliant on FIFA financial backing. | 11 |
No one has declared a candidacy, but a shortlist has already formed. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, a vice president and former Canada Soccer chief, is widely floated as the frontrunner, though associates say he is reluctant to run.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, a long-time critic who skipped the World Cup final over the Balogun red-card controversy, is seen as Europe’s most credible option and has left the door open if no one else steps forward. Paris Saint-Germain and European Football Clubs chief Nasser al-Khelaifi has been pushed by some European executives despite reportedly having no interest, while CAF’s Patrice Motsepe is viewed as more likely to wait for the 2031 race. That reluctance from the two frontrunners is itself telling, since neither camp has shown appetite for a bruising contested race this early.
Whoever takes over inherits a federation mid-fight over commercialisation. The 2023-2026 cycle is expected to generate more than 15 billion dollars in revenue, most of it from the 2026 World Cup, and the scrapped stake-sale plan was meant to unlock further private capital.
Any new leader would need to rebuild trust with UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF on governance and consultation, while deciding whether to revive some version of outside investment. A contested transition could also reopen questions about World Cup hosting decisions and council composition heading into the next cycle.
The near-term calendar has three markers worth watching: the 43-association threshold needed to force an extraordinary congress, which UEFA or the AFC could reach alone, the November 18, 2026 deadline for any challenger to formally declare, and the scheduled vote at the March 2027 Congress in Rabat, Morocco.
Whether a formal FIFA no-confidence vote for an Infantino successor push actually gets filed before then will decide if he faces removal proceedings or simply a contested re-election. No FIFA Congress has ever held such a vote against a sitting president in the organisation’s 122-year history.
Would federations actually follow through on a no-confidence push, or is this pressure campaign just leverage for Infantino’s next term? Tell us what you think.
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How does a no-confidence vote work inside FIFA?
Twenty percent of member associations, about 43 countries, must request an extraordinary congress in writing. The council must then hold it within three months on an unchanged agenda.
Can FIFA members actually remove Gianni Infantino as president?
In theory yes, through an extraordinary congress, though no such vote has ever succeeded. CAF and other confederations still back him, which complicates any removal push.
Who is most likely to succeed Infantino at FIFA?
Victor Montagliani and Aleksander Ceferin are the two names mentioned most often. Nasser al-Khelaifi has also been floated, though none of the three has declared a candidacy.
What happens if a FIFA president leaves before their term ends?
FIFA statutes point toward an extraordinary congress process for choosing a replacement. No president has ever been removed this way before, so the practical mechanics remain untested.
Why did UEFA and the AFC turn against Infantino?
Both cited a lack of transparency over his scrapped plan to sell private stakes in commercial rights. UEFA had threatened to boycott FIFA competitions entirely if the proposal went ahead.
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