UEFA President
Ceferin's Position on FIFA Leadership
In a recent appearance on The Rest is Politics podcast, Ceferin, 58, emphasized his commitment to UEFA, stating, "I'm not interested because of two reasons. One reason is that I love UEFA and I love working here, and I think that at a certain point... it's time to also enjoy life a bit." He further explained that his credibility would be enhanced by not pursuing the FIFA presidency, indicating a desire to maintain his focus on European football.
Ceferin has been outspoken in his criticism of Infantino's leadership, particularly following the latter's announcement regarding private investment in FIFA. He believes that Infantino's previously secure position is now vulnerable, predicting that the FIFA President may either need to resign or face a leadership challenge during the upcoming FIFA Congress scheduled for March 2027 in Morocco.
Infantino's Diminishing Support
Infantino, who took over the FIFA presidency in 2016 with strong backing from European nations, now finds himself in a precarious situation. Ceferin noted that he has not communicated with Infantino since the controversy began, highlighting the significant shift in the political landscape within football governance. "There are two options," Ceferin stated. "One option is that he realizes that he doesn't have the support, and that's not only a political support of the ones who vote, but the political support of the football community, the political support of fans, the political support of the players, former players, coaches."
Should Infantino choose to run for re-election, Ceferin anticipates that he will face a challenger, although he has not yet identified who that might be. Speculation suggests that CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa could emerge as potential candidates against Infantino.
