FIFA President Gianni Infantino is set to seek a fourth term in office, facing little opposition ahead of the organization’s presidential election scheduled for March 2024. Infantino, 56, officially announced his intention to run again during FIFA’s April congress in Vancouver. Although FIFA statutes generally limit presidents to three full terms, a recent rule adjustment allows Infantino to pursue a fourth term since his initial term, following his 2016 election, lasted only three years.
Currently, no serious challengers have emerged to contest Infantino’s bid. Several regional football confederations, including UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), have called for him to step down, but no formal candidates have declared their intention to run. This situation is partly due to the inherent difficulties in opposing an incumbent with control over FIFA’s administrative and financial resources. The last FIFA president to lose a re-election bid was Sir Stanley Rous in 1974.
The most prominent potential contender, Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf, is expected to prioritize his re-election bid for that confederation scheduled for February 2024, making a simultaneous FIFA campaign unlikely. Similarly, Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, head of the AFC and Infantino’s only opponent in the 2016 election, faces challenges due to key AFC members Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates backing Infantino. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin, who could potentially lead a European challenge, is focused on a separate re-election contest of his own and has not signaled any plans to run for FIFA presidency.
Complicating potential challenges further is FIFA’s secret ballot voting system. This method diminishes the influence of any promises made during the campaign, reducing incentives for member associations to break ranks publicly.
Instead of mounting an electoral challenge, UEFA has pursued legal action alleging “criminal mismanagement” by Infantino. Last month, UEFA submitted a 56-page complaint to various US state courts seeking the disclosure of documents related to FIFA’s commercial venture, FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE). FIFA responded by filing motions to block the discovery process, accusing UEFA of conducting a “smear campaign” without substantive evidence. Both sides anticipate prolonged legal procedures, with initial court decisions expected next month. However, appeals are likely regardless of the outcomes, potentially delaying any releases of new information beyond the deadline for candidate nominations.
A central point of contention is the valuation of FFE at $20 billion. UEFA suspects the asset was deliberately undervalued to benefit Joshua Kushner’s investment firm, Thrive Capital, which reportedly agreed to pay $4.2 billion for a 21% stake in the venture. Thrive’s recent acquisition of 20% of the NBA’s LA Lakers, valued at $12.5 billion, has added further scrutiny to the valuation methods applied to FIFA’s commercial interests.
Legal experts have suggested that if FIFA knowingly undervalued FFE, it could constitute criminal fraud against member associations. UEFA may pursue the matter in Swiss courts, seeking disclosure regarding the valuation, investor identities, and governance arrangements—details that remain largely undisclosed. Documents presented by the US bank JPMorgan lacked information about tender processes, voting rights, or exit clauses, raising questions about the transparency and structure of the deal.
Industry insiders speculate that investors like Thrive Capital may have viewed the transaction as a short-term investment opportunity designed to capitalize on future growth in FIFA revenues. FIFA’s reported revenue projections show an increase from $15 billion over four years through 2026 to an estimated $18 billion in the following cycle, driven by expanded broadcast deals and tournament formats.
With the FIFA presidential election approaching and legal challenges underway, the governance and financial management of the world’s football governing body remain under close scrutiny, but no alternative candidates have yet emerged to challenge Infantino’s leadership.