Nasser Al-Khelaifi Rules Out Challenge to Gianni Infantino for FIFA Presidency
Nasser Al-Khelaifi has ruled out a bid for the FIFA presidency, removing one of the most prominent club figures from consideration as European football seeks an opponent for Gianni Infantino ahead of the March 18 election in Morocco.
Al-Khelaifi closes off FIFA speculation
The Paris Saint-Germain president said he has no desire to take FIFA’s top job, despite holding positions that could have made him a significant candidate. Al-Khelaifi chairs the European Football Clubs group, whose membership stands at 900, and serves on UEFA’s executive committee.
His role as a minister in Qatar’s government, combined with Qatar’s previous support for Infantino and his standing within the club game, had also made him a conceivable bridge between European and Asian voting blocs.
Speaking after the EFC annual meeting in Copenhagen, Al-Khelaifi said he had no interest or personal objective in joining FIFA. He added that he did not consider himself suited to the presidency and was content with his current responsibilities, including leading the reigning Champions League winners.
UEFA’s opposition hardens after World Cup proposal
The meeting came during an increasingly tense period in football governance. UEFA is attempting to prevent Infantino from securing another term, either by finding a challenger before the election or defeating him in the vote itself.
The pressure followed the collapse of a proposed FIFA subsidiary that would have involved selling interests in future World Cup revenues to private investors. The multi-billion-dollar plan emerged two months ago and was rejected within days. The deadline for potential presidential challengers is seven weeks away.
Aleksander Ceferin, UEFA’s president and a FIFA vice-president, addressed the club representatives in Copenhagen. Without naming Infantino, he argued that the game should not be led by figures acting beyond the constraints of established governance.
Ceferin said football did not require “emperors”, criticising a culture in which regulations could be disregarded, stakeholders excluded from decisions and the sport’s future treated as a commercial bargaining tool. His remarks also appeared to refer to Infantino’s links with United States President Donald Trump, including references to the creation of an award for a political figure.
Timeline of the presidential dispute
- Infantino and Ceferin were both elected to their respective FIFA and UEFA roles in 2016, following the corruption crisis that prompted US and Swiss investigations.
- A plan to create a FIFA subsidiary and sell stakes connected to future World Cup income was disclosed two months ago.
- The proposal was defeated within days, intensifying UEFA’s opposition to Infantino.
- Club leaders gathered in Copenhagen with seven weeks remaining for presidential candidates to enter the race.
- FIFA’s presidential election is scheduled for March 18 in Morocco.
Ceferin remains central to UEFA’s position
Ceferin has excluded himself from the FIFA contest, but he remains the leading figure in UEFA’s effort to challenge Infantino’s position. Al-Khelaifi used his own address to urge Ceferin to seek another term as UEFA president next year, describing him as the kind of leader football needs.
Ceferin previously indicated in 2024 that he intended to leave UEFA in 2027. He is nevertheless expected to face no opponent when UEFA’s 55 member associations vote in Astana, Kazakhstan, in April. If returned, it would be his fourth and final term.
Key takeaways
- Al-Khelaifi will not stand against Infantino for the FIFA presidency.
- UEFA’s challenge has gained urgency following the failed proposal involving future World Cup revenue.
- Ceferin is not a FIFA candidate, but is directing the political opposition to Infantino.
- The FIFA vote takes place in Morocco on March 18, while UEFA is due to elect its president in Astana in April.
