Infantino faces challenges to his Fifa re-election bid

Summarised from 6 outlets · 8 reports · Updated 4 Nov, 13:51 · Archive

Miguel Maduro, former head of Fifa's governance committee, says Gianni Infantino is ineligible to run for a fourth presidential term.

Gianni Infantino is seeking re-election as Fifa president in March 2027 and is currently set to stand unopposed. However, he faces legal challenges to his eligibility from former governance officials and campaign groups.

Miguel Maduro, who chaired Fifa's Governance and Review Committee before being dismissed in 2017, argues that Infantino cannot serve a fourth term. Article 33 of Fifa's statutes states that no person may serve as president for more than three terms. Infantino has been elected three times and served three terms as president since 2016.

Infantino's position rests on a claim that his first term, from 2016 to 2019, should not count towards the limit because he was elected at an Extraordinary Congress following Sepp Blatter's resignation to complete an interrupted mandate. In December 2022, the Fifa Council unanimously confirmed that this period does not count as a term of office. However, Maduro and the human rights organisation FairSquare argue that the statutes' wording makes no exception for shortened terms.

Maduro believes the Court of Arbitration for Sport could rule Infantino ineligible under Fifa's own statutes. He suggests that national associations could first ask Fifa's Review Committee to intervene and declare Infantino ineligible. If the Review Committee does not act or if Infantino is registered as a candidate by the 17 November deadline for candidacy declarations, associations could appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against Fifa's decision to allow him to stand.

However, Maduro has expressed concern that a 'climate of fear' may prevent associations from challenging Infantino. He noted that those who have shown dissenting views or challenged Fifa decisions have been ostracised or lost influence within the organisation. European associations may also be reluctant to act, having agreed changes to Uefa's statutes in 2024 that enabled Aleksander Ceferin to stand again next year.

Infantino's position appeared under threat in the summer after details emerged of a private investor plan to take stakes in commercial rights to the World Cup, developed without consulting the Fifa Council or national associations. Despite this, he has drawn support from most associations across Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America.

Separately, Infantino faces scrutiny from the US Congress. Following the Democratic party's success in the midterm elections, the House Judiciary Committee now has powers to issue subpoenas over Fifa's and Infantino's ties to Donald Trump. In July, Democrats launched an investigation into what they described as a 'sustained campaign' by Fifa and Infantino to curry favour with Trump, citing the awarding of a Fifa Peace Prize to Trump and Fifa's leasing of office space in Trump Tower. A committee spokeswoman said in September that Fifa's level of cooperation had been 'woefully inadequate', though any subpoenas are unlikely to be issued before the deadline for Fifa election candidacies.

How it is being reported

• 11-metre effigy of Gianni Infantino unveiled for Bonfire Night celebrationsThe Fifa president is depicted holding a ‘red card hotline’ token and a golden statue of US President Donald Trump’s head.Evening Standard · 4 Nov, 13:29
• Giant effigy of FIFA chief Gianni Infantino carrying Donald Trump's head to be burned in British town's Bonfire Night celebrationsThe FIFA chief, 56, is depicted with dollar bills tucked into his ears and a book titled 'President for Dummies: How to make billions' tucked into one of his pockets.Daily Mail · 4 Nov, 13:23
• Gianni Infantino chosen for bonfire effigy as FIFA chief could be grilled on Trump linksGianni Infantino is clinging onto his position as FIFA president ahead of his re-election bid in March, but he remains the firing line following a series of controversiesThe Mirror · 4 Nov, 12:35
• Fifa president Gianni Infantino under fresh spotlight over Trump connectionsDemocrats' midterm election success could give Congress new powers to investigate the FIFA chief's ties to the US president and demand answers over a series of controversial dealings.Independent Sport · 4 Nov, 11:18
• Fifa and Infantino face subpoenas after Democrats blitz Trump in US midtermsFifa and Gianni Infantino face being issued with subpoenas over their ties to Donald Trump after Democrats routed the US President’s administration in the midterm elections. The Democrats’ majority in the House of Representatives hands them legal powers to compel testimony after Fifa and Infantino ignored previous attempts to investigate the close relationship between football’s [...]City AM · 4 Nov, 10:54
• FIFA’s Infantino ineligible for re-election, says former governance chiefMiguel Maduro insists Gianni Infantino cannot serve more than three terms, pointing to FIFA's statutes.Al Jazeera · 4 Nov, 07:39
• Former Fifa chair says 'climate of fear' could block challenges to Gianni Infantino's re-electionGianni Infantino is set to run for re-election as Fifa president in MarchIndependent Sport · 3 Nov, 18:38
• FAs urged to challenge Infantino Fifa term limit at Court of Arbitration for SportThe FA and other football associations have been urged to take their attempts to oust Gianni Infantino as Fifa president to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Infantino has resisted all calls to stand down in the wake of his World Cup sell-off plan and is currently set to stand unopposed for re-election early next [...]City AM · 3 Nov, 16:21

In this story: Gianni Infantino · Miguel Maduro · Fifa · Court of Arbitration for Sport · FairSquare · Sepp Blatter · Donald Trump · Aleksander Ceferin

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