Zurich, Switzerland, September 7, 2026 — FIFA President Gianni Infantino will seek re-election for a fourth and final term in March 2027, world football's governing body has confirmed, despite the recent backlash over a now-abandoned proposal to bring private investment into FIFA competitions.
A FIFA spokesperson said Infantino had announced his intention to seek re-election in April and that his plans remained unchanged.
The 56-year-old Swiss official has faced significant criticism since late July, when FIFA unveiled the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which sought to introduce private investment into FIFA events, including the World Cup. The plan was subsequently abandoned.
For the first time since the proposal became public, FIFA has reaffirmed that Infantino intends to contest next year's presidential election. If re-elected, he would remain in charge of world football until 2031.
Infantino, who is currently in Poland for the FIFA Women's Under-20 World Cup, declined to answer questions from journalists about his future when approached on Saturday.
European football governing body UEFA has been among the strongest critics of the abandoned investment proposal. UEFA accused Infantino of “criminal mismanagement” and was at the forefront of opposition to the plan, with European football authorities reportedly threatening to boycott FIFA competitions, including the men's and women's World Cups, if the proposal was not withdrawn.
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However, Infantino has received support from several other regional football bodies. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have supported him, while Saudi Arabia, the host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, also expressed support last month. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and South American football body CONMEBOL have also backed Infantino.
CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani is widely regarded as a potential challenger to Infantino. Montagliani, who also serves as a FIFA vice-president, has previously been seen as a close ally of the FIFA president but has appeared to distance himself from Infantino over the abandoned private investment proposal.
Meanwhile, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin has ruled himself out of the contest.
Infantino is currently the only declared candidate for the election, which is scheduled for March 2027. To secure another term, he will need a simple majority of votes from FIFA's 211 affiliated member associations.
Infantino first became FIFA president in 2016 and was re-elected in 2023. A successful bid next year would allow him to remain at the helm of world football until 2031.
Candidates seeking to contest the election must submit their nominations by November 18.