Gianni Infantino has confirmed he intends to stand for re-election as FIFA president next year, despite mounting pressure over his now-abandoned plan to sell stakes in FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, to private investors. A FIFA spokesperson said in a statement that the FIFA president had already announced in April that he would stand for re-election in 2027, adding that nothing had changed and that Infantino would be standing.
Speaking to reporters at the opening of the Women's Under-20 World Cup in Poland on Saturday, Infantino declined to answer questions about a possible resignation. He told Sky Sports there would be a right time and place to address the matter further, adding that it wasn't today or there, and that the focus for now was on enjoying the football on show.
The controversy stems from a proposal, referred to internally as the FIFA Forward Enterprise, that would have seen third-party investors — including a firm run by venture capitalist Josh Kushner — take stakes in a new commercial subsidiary tied to FIFA's competitions. The plan drew allegations that investors were being offered unusually low stakes in the venture, and was eventually scrapped following widespread criticism from within football.
UEFA has led the opposition to Infantino's continued leadership, having previously threatened to boycott FIFA-run tournaments before European nations withdrew that threat in August after receiving assurances the investment plan had been permanently dropped. Despite that, UEFA has continued pushing for Infantino's removal, and is reportedly considering legal action, having already pursued a discovery process in August aimed at uncovering further information about the scrapped plan, with the possibility of criminal charges against Infantino and other FIFA officials if evidence of fraudulent conduct emerges. A number of national federations, including England's FA, have also withdrawn their backing for his re-election bid.
The next FIFA presidential election is scheduled for the 77th FIFA Congress on 18 March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco. If successful, Infantino would secure a fourth and final term in office, running through to 2031. The deadline for rival candidates to enter the race falls on 18 November, four months ahead of the vote. Infantino was first elected FIFA president in 2016 and has previously won re-election twice, including running unopposed for his third term in 2023.
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