Aleksander Ceferin dismisses FIFA bid, keeping Infantino unopposed

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, pictured holding the UEFA Supercopa trophy, told Reuters he will not stand for the FIFA presidency in the March 2027 election, preferring to remain at UEFA and “enjoy life” after his term ends the same year.

Ceferin rules out FIFA bid

Ceferin explained his decision in an interview on the British podcast The Rest is Politics. He said, “No estoy interesado. Me gusta la UEFA y el trabajo que hago allí.” The comment underscored his lack of interest in replacing Gianni Infantino.

Under his leadership, UEFA announced it would boycott all FIFA competitions, including the Mundial, if Infantino’s plan to open the tournament to private investors proceeds. Ceferin warned, “Infantino must be aware he does not have the support of international football. If he runs for re‑election we will have a candidate against him. I still don’t know who.”

He added that he has not spoken with the FIFA president since the controversy erupted. He said the lack of dialogue reflects the deepening rift between the organisations.

UEFA suspends boycott plans, keeps pressure on FIFA

Opposition and election landscape

Media reports suggest CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani could emerge as a challenger to Infantino in the 2027 vote. Alongside UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation have been the most vocal opponents of Infantino’s private‑investment proposal. The three confederations recently signed a joint statement to “unite the football family” around their shared cause.

In a Sunday interview published on the FIFA website, Infantino defended his vision of a more equal global game. He declared, “We want to develop football in each of our 211 member federations… we must reduce the differences between the big countries and the rest.”

That weekend Infantino met Montagliani at a Caribbean Football Union gathering in the Dominican Republic. Ceferin told the Rest podcast that he hears FIFA officials claim Europe is arrogant toward them. He added, “Someone should remind Infantino that he is European (Italian‑Swiss) and was supported by UEFA.”

The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for March 2027 in Rabat. Infantino, in post since 2016, remains the sole declared candidate at present.