Gianni Infantino's grip on the presidency of world soccer's governing body is under pressure after his plan to sell stakes in the FIFA World Cup and other events to private investors collapsed under broad opposition. FIFA withdrew the proposal, known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise vehicle, but the political damage to Infantino appears significant.
UEFA announced it has lost confidence in Infantino, who first took office in 2016 and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and again in 2023. FIFA's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, alleged that Infantino had deceived employees over the plan. Senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned. According to Al Jazeera, speculation is now mounting that at least one direct challenger will emerge ahead of the FIFA presidential elections scheduled for March.
The name that moved most quickly to the front of potential challengers is Nasser al-Khelaifi, president of Paris Saint-Germain. The 52-year-old Qatari businessman and former professional tennis player also chairs global broadcaster beIN Media Group and the European Football Clubs lobby group. He is a member of both UEFA's executive committee and the FIFA Council. Al-Khelaifi oversaw PSG's UEFA Champions League title in 2025 and a successful defense in 2026.
Victor Montagliani is also considered a clear frontrunner. The Canadian is both the president of CONCACAF and a FIFA vice president. He has held the CONCACAF presidency since 2016 and played a central role in organizing the 2026 World Cup, which was hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. CONCACAF's 41 member associations rejected the FFE proposal at a meeting Thursday, though they stopped short of joining UEFA's call for a boycott.
Rumors circulated that Montagliani was preparing a challenge to Infantino as a direct result of the investment plan controversy.
The FIFA presidential election is set for March.
