FIFA President Gianni Infantino continues to receive warnings about possible loss of support from the UEFA region, but the region's president, Aleksander Čeferin, stated that he has no intention of running for the FIFA post.
UEFA head Aleksander Čeferin warned the pressured FIFA president that he must step down or face a challenge in leadership. Infantino is facing growing pressure to resign as the head of the world football governing body due to his cancelled plan to attract private investment into FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup.
UEFA, which oversees European football, threatened to boycott FIFA competitions, and several continental and national federations have also withdrawn their support for Infantino.
Čeferin's Position Regarding Infantino's Replacement
Nevertheless, Čeferin excluded himself from the race for Infantino's seat. On Monday, speaking on the podcast The Rest is Politics, the 58-year-old Slovenian official stated: 'It is not interesting to me for two reasons.' He explained that one reason is his love for UEFA and working there, as well as his desire to enjoy life at a certain point. The second reason, in his opinion, is that his authority is significantly higher if he does not show interest in this position.
Čeferin has openly criticized Infantino since the revelation of the latter's controversial plans to seek private investment in the company that should manage FIFA tournaments. Now, Čeferin believes that Infantino's previously impregnable position is under threat. He predicts that the Swiss man will have to step down or face a challenge in leadership if he aims for re-election at the next FIFA Congress in Morocco in March.
Infantino, former UEFA Secretary General, initially enjoyed broad support from European countries when he took office as FIFA President in 2016 after Sepp Blatter. However, Čeferin, who said he has not spoken to Infantino since the scandal began, insists that the current situation is fundamentally different. 'There are two options,' he said. 'One option is that he (Infantino) realizes that he does not have support, and this is not only political support from voters, but also political support from the football community, political support from fans, political support from players, former players, coaches.' The second option, in his opinion, is that he participates in the elections in March, but in that case, he believes a candidate will be put up against him.
Continental presidents CONCACAF Victor Montella and AFC Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa are considered the two most likely contenders for Infantino's seat.
Infantino's Support
This weekend, Infantino was in the Dominican Republic for meetings with local and regional football officials, despite Montella allegedly asking him to refrain from participating in the youth tournament there. In a video message published by FIFA on Sunday, the 56-year-old Infantino seemed to respond to the surrounding turmoil. He stated: 'It is important to interact, to have a dialogue, to express views and opinions.' He added: 'In the last few weeks, a lot has happened, and it is important that you hear, listen, and can also express your feelings. Therefore, I think that overall I am very, very satisfied with all the support I am receiving here.'