Amid widespread criticism of his leadership and the growing threat of legal proceedings, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed his intention to run for re-election in six months’ time, football’s global governing body said.
asserted
body → grow → time
Infantino has not changed his plans to “stand for re-election in 2027”, a FIFA spokesperson said in a statement on Sunday, hours after the FIFA chief avoided questions on his future at the Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.
“The FIFA president announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027.
asserted
he → change → 2027
Of course, nothing has changed.
asserted
nothing → change → ?
Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election,” the statement said.
asserted
statement → stand → election
On Saturday, the 56-year-old stayed silent on the leadership challenge he faces as a result of his failed plan to sell rights to private investors in the World Cup, and declined to answer questions about his re-election upon arrival at the opening match of the tournament.
asserted
he → stay → tournament
Infantino was in the stands speaking with Polish Football Federation President Cezary Kulesza as hosts Poland faced Argentina at the Arena Katowice.
“There will be a lot to say, but there will be a right place and a right time to say this.
asserted
Poland → speak → this
It’s not today, it’s not here, but here and today, we are enjoying football,” Infantino told British broadcaster Sky News outside the stadium.
asserted
Infantino → ’ → stadium
“We are continuing at FIFA, of course, to work to give every corner of the world a chance, an opportunity, a dignity, to find ways and means for them to become better and to participate and to celebrate football, which we all love.”
asserted
we → continue → which
Infantino did not answer when asked if he had considered resigning or whether he still intends to stand for a fourth term next year.
asserted
he → answer → term
The Swiss-Italian has been the most powerful man in world football over the past 10 years, but has increasingly lost support from regional football confederations and national associations.
asserted
Italian → lose → confederations
Last month, he appeared to be pulling out all the stops in a bid to retain his position, despite growing calls for his ousting and wide-ranging disapproval of his plans.
asserted
he → appear → plans
He is seen as a divisive figure in international football, with his close ties to some of the most powerful global leaders and plans for maximising revenue from football viewed as a threat to the game.
asserted
ties → see → game
With a little over six months until the next round of elections for FIFA’s presidency, Infantino appears to be losing ground among his usual backers.
asserted
Infantino → appear → backers
FIFA presidents are limited to three terms in office, with each term lasting four years.
asserted
term → limit → years
However, in 2022, Infantino successfully argued that his first spell in charge, which began when he was elected at an extraordinary FIFA Congress in 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s resignation, should not count towards that limit because it completed an interrupted mandate.
asserted
it → argue → mandate
His plans to run for a fourth term have been questioned by critics and rights groups, who have asked FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC) to block the re-election bid.
asserted
who → run → bid
Infantino’s support has waned, especially since making no secret of his close ties with United States President Donald Trump and announcing FIFA’s plans to privatise the World Cup in order to maximise revenue from the tournament.
asserted
support → wan → tournament
He was the target of widespread scathing criticism in December, when he handed the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to Trump at the FIFA World Cup 2026 draw in Washington, DC.
asserted
he → hand → Washington
A further blow to the global football chief’s position came in the days after the World Cup, when he invited private investors to buy a stake in future profits from World Cups and all FIFA events.
asserted
he → come → Cups
The investor group was led by Joshua Kushner, the American businessman who is also the younger brother of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
asserted
who → lead → law
Last month, UEFA asked a federal court in the US for permission to obtain testimony and documents from FIFA entities in Florida for use in a planned criminal complaint in Switzerland against Infantino, according to a court filing.
uncertain
UEFA → ask → filing
In an urgent application filed under US law, European football’s governing body said it was considering criminal proceedings against Infantino and potentially other FIFA officials and advisers.
asserted
it → file → Infantino
That was over their now-abandoned plan to transfer commercial rights linked to men’s and women’s World Cups and the Club World Cup into a new subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
asserted
That → abandon → subsidiary
In turn, FIFA accused UEFA of a “smear campaign” and a “fishing expedition” and hit back by asking US judges for permission to contest the UEFA requests.
“While these applications are styled as legal pleadings with captions and docket numbers, they are little more than press releases in further support of UEFA’s smear campaign against FIFA and its leadership,” said the FIFA filings.
asserted
filings → accuse → FIFA
They say UEFA does not have the right to demand FIFA internal documents because no criminal proceedings yet exist in Switzerland or elsewhere.
asserted
proceedings → say → Switzerland
The polls to elect FIFA’s next president will be held at the global governing body’s next congress, scheduled for March 18, 2027 in Rabat, Morocco.
asserted
polls → elect → Rabat
All challengers vying for the post must declare their candidacy by November 18 .
asserted
challengers → vie → November
The candidates will face off in a poll involving all 211 FIFA member nations, with 106 votes required to pick a winner.
asserted
votes → face → winner
The Aporia
