All You Need To Know About FIFA President Election

The race to lead FIFA for another four years is beginning to take shape, with Gianni Infantino expected to seek re-election despite questions over the number of terms he has already served.

Under FIFA statutes, a president can serve a maximum of three four-year terms. On the surface, that would prevent Infantino from contesting the election scheduled for March 2027. However, his first spell in office, which began after he replaced Sepp Blatter in 2016, lasted only three years.

Infantino successfully argued that the initial three-year period should not count as a full term under FIFA rules. That interpretation allowed him to stand again and secure re-election unopposed in both 2019 and 2023. Before the recent FIFA Football Enterprise (FFE) controversy, many expected the same outcome in 2027.

Attention has now shifted to whether UEFA and other critics can unite behind a rival candidate.

Any challenger must be nominated by 18 November and submit at least five letters of support from FIFA member associations.

The election will take place by secret ballot during the 77th FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 March, 2027.

If only two candidates contest the election, the winner will need a simple majority from FIFA’s 211 member associations. If three or more candidates enter the race, any contender must first secure 75 per cent of the votes to win outright.

Should no candidate reach that mark, the individual with the fewest votes will be eliminated and another round held. Once only two candidates remain, the election is decided by a simple majority.

Despite growing opposition from parts of world football, Infantino is still viewed as the favourite to retain the presidency.

One of his long-standing strategies has been frequent international visits to strengthen relationships with national football associations. During his successful campaign in 2016, Infantino revealed that UEFA provided him with a budget of €500,000 (£430,000) “to fund flights, mainly flights, around the world” as he lobbied member associations for support.

His global engagements have continued. After attending a FIFA management board meeting in Rabat on Wednesday, Infantino travelled to South America for the inauguration of Colombia’s new president, Abelardo de la Espriella.

Another major factor is FIFA’s financial support for its member associations.

Through the FIFA Forward programme, national football associations have received significant funding to develop the game, particularly in countries that lack the resources to finance football projects independently.

The current scheme, FIFA Forward 3.0, runs until December and has provided each association with up to $8 million (£5.94 million) during the latest four-year cycle, representing a 30 per cent increase from the previous programme.

A further increase is widely expected when FIFA unveils Forward 4.0, a move that could strengthen Infantino’s support even further outside Europe.

Across the six continental confederations, backing for the FIFA president varies.

UEFA’s 55 member associations remain his strongest critics, although there is speculation that not every nation may vote as a united bloc.

Africa’s 54 members have reaffirmed unanimous support for Infantino.

Asia’s 46-member confederation joined UEFA in criticising the FFE issue but did not release another statement after the proposal was abandoned. So far, Jordan is the only Asian nation to publicly state it will not support Infantino, having opposed him previously.

Naija News reports that CONCACAF, which has 35 member associations, has also criticised Infantino. However, Mexico has already declared its support for his re-election. Given the number of smaller football nations in the region that benefit from FIFA funding, it remains uncertain whether the confederation will maintain a united position.

Oceania’s 11-member confederation has yet to announce its official position and is expected to do so after a meeting in September. Earlier this year, OFC president Lambert Maltock described Infantino as a “leader par excellence” while praising his investment in grassroots football.

In South America, the message has been more cautious. Although the continent warned that future controversies could affect its backing, Infantino still enjoys strong support from CONMEBOL. Argentina and Paraguay are among the countries that have already publicly endorsed his bid for another term.