UEFA is continuing its campaign to find a single candidate capable of challenging Gianni Infantino in next year’s FIFA presidential election, even as it prepares to abandon its threatened boycott of FIFA competitions.
The decision to drop the boycott follows assurances from FIFA that the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal will not be brought back. The plan, which involved opening FIFA’s commercial interests to private investment, triggered strong opposition across European football and led UEFA’s 55 member associations to consider withdrawing from FIFA tournaments.
UEFA is expected to formally communicate the decision to its member associations and FIFA Council representatives following its executive committee meeting in Monaco. The move will allow European teams to take part in the upcoming FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, where England, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and hosts Poland are scheduled to compete.
However, ending the boycott does not mean UEFA has ended its opposition to Infantino. European football officials remain determined to find a unity candidate to contest the FIFA presidency when the election takes place in March 2027. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has ruled himself out of the race but has indicated that a challenger is likely to emerge.
The election could be significantly closer than Infantino might have expected only a few months ago. A candidate needs 106 votes from FIFA’s 211 member associations to secure victory, meaning an opposition campaign would need to build support well beyond Europe.
One of the strongest potential challengers is CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, who is reportedly considering a bid. Other names have also emerged, including AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström, although neither has formally entered the race.
UEFA has also stepped away from the idea of pursuing a formal vote of no confidence against Infantino. Such an initiative would require the backing of three-quarters of FIFA’s membership, making it considerably more difficult than simply building a coalition around an alternative candidate.
For UEFA, the objective now appears to be political as much as electoral. Even if Infantino manages to win another term, European officials believe that a narrow victory could weaken his authority and raise questions about the level of support for his leadership.
The dispute began after Infantino’s proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise initiative sparked widespread concern over the potential commercialization and private ownership of major FIFA competitions. FIFA subsequently abandoned the proposal, but the controversy continued to fuel criticism of Infantino’s leadership and governance.
Infantino, meanwhile, continues to seek re-election and retains significant support, particularly among some African and South American associations. With the nomination deadline set for November 18, the coming months will be crucial in determining whether UEFA and its allies can agree on a single candidate capable of mounting a serious challenge.
The withdrawal of the boycott may ease the immediate confrontation between UEFA and FIFA, but it does not resolve the deeper political conflict. With several confederations increasingly questioning Infantino’s leadership, the 2027 FIFA presidential election is shaping up to be one of the most contested in recent years.