'You Don't Fight an Election Unless You Can Win': UEFA Searches for Infantino Challenger

UEFA is actively searching for a candidate capable of defeating Gianni Infantino in next year’s FIFA presidential election, with vice-president Laura McAllister saying European football has no interest in mounting a purely symbolic challenge.

Speaking at the World Football Summit in Madrid, McAllister said UEFA remained “united and very concerted” in its efforts to identify a credible alternative ahead of the March 2027 election.

“You don’t fight an election unless you can win that election,” she told Reuters.

Infantino currently appears to retain sufficient support among FIFA’s member associations to secure another term.

UEFA’s task is therefore not simply finding somebody willing to stand. It wants a candidate capable of assembling enough support across world football to make the contest competitive.

Challenger does not have to be European

McAllister said UEFA was not insisting that the candidate come from Europe.

The organisation would consider supporting someone from another confederation if that person could build a broader coalition around a programme of FIFA reform.

That programme would include greater accountability and transparency, stronger safeguards against conflicts of interest, improved protection for whistleblowers and more diverse leadership.

The approach represents a shift from criticism of Infantino’s leadership towards an organised attempt to replace him through FIFA’s electoral system.

Opposition grows

The campaign follows a dispute over Infantino’s proposal to sell outside investors a stake of up to 20% in FIFA competitions, potentially including the World Cup.

The plan encountered opposition from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF and was subsequently abandoned.

Several European football associations have since withdrawn their support for Infantino, with Greece becoming the latest this week.

McAllister has previously argued that FIFA’s next president should act as a “custodian” of football rather than treating the organisation primarily as a commercial enterprise.

UEFA now faces the harder part.

FIFA’s president is elected by its member associations worldwide, meaning European opposition alone cannot remove Infantino.

A successful challenge would require support extending well beyond UEFA and into other confederations.

That explains why European football is prepared to back a non-European candidate – and why McAllister says UEFA will not enter the contest simply to demonstrate its opposition.

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