Archive · 17 Sep 2026
UEFA Seeks Reform Candidate to Challenge FIFA’s Infantino
UEFA wants to find someone who can compete against FIFA President Gianni Infantino in the next election.
The election is planned for March.
UEFA says this person does not have to come from Europe.
Instead, the person must be able to unite football groups around the world.
UEFA also wants FIFA to change how it is governed.
These changes could include more transparency, accountability and protection for whistleblowers.
Infantino still appears to have enough support to seek another term.
UEFA says it is working carefully and believes its campaign for change is still moving forward.
UEFA is seeking a credible, reform-minded candidate to challenge Gianni Infantino in FIFA’s March election.
Vice-president Laura McAllister said opposition to Infantino remains active despite his apparent support for another term.
UEFA says the candidate need not be European but must unite football’s confederations and be capable of winning.
The proposed reform platform includes greater accountability, transparency, whistleblower protection, conflict-of-interest rules and more diverse leadership.
The campaign gained momentum after Infantino’s proposal to sell up to 20% of stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors collapsed.
- Who
- UEFA, led publicly on this issue by vice-president Laura McAllister, is seeking a challenger to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
- What
- UEFA is developing a campaign to find a winning candidate and promote reforms to FIFA governance.
- When
- The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March, although the article does not specify a year.
- Where
- McAllister discussed the campaign at the World Football Summit in Madrid after a UEFA Executive Committee meeting in Thessaloniki.
- Why
- UEFA and other confederations want greater accountability, transparency, conflict-of-interest safeguards, whistleblower protection and leadership diversity at FIFA.
UEFA Reform Advocates
Infantino’s Incumbency
Momentum for Change
UEFA Reform Advocates
UEFA says opposition remains united and active, and that its step-by-step campaign has not lost momentum.
Infantino’s Incumbency
Infantino appears to retain enough support to win another term, and critics may have overestimated the damage to his authority.
Candidate Selection
UEFA Reform Advocates
UEFA prioritizes a candidate’s reform programme and ability to unite all confederations over nationality, including whether the candidate is European.
Infantino’s Incumbency
Infantino is already an established candidate, so opponents must produce someone capable of winning rather than merely mounting a symbolic challenge.
Governance Model
UEFA Reform Advocates
UEFA wants stronger accountability and transparency, clearer conflict-of-interest rules, whistleblower protections and more diverse leadership.
Infantino’s Incumbency
The article does not provide a detailed public governance platform from Infantino or FIFA in response to UEFA’s proposals.
- Election
- FIFA’s presidential election is scheduled for March.
- Incumbent
- Gianni Infantino has announced that he will seek another term.
- Potential challenger
- UEFA wants a candidate capable of uniting all football confederations and defeating Infantino.
- Candidate nationality
- UEFA says the challenger does not need to be European.
- Reform priorities
- The proposed platform includes accountability, transparency, conflict-of-interest recognition, whistleblower protection and more diverse leadership.
- Contested proposal
- Infantino’s proposal to sell up to 20% of stakes in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors collapsed.
- Reported opposition
- UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF have called for change at FIFA’s top.