Nobody can say with confidence what will happen next, and Infantino’s long-term position remains unclear.
Fifa has not yet replied to Uefa’s declaration. Concacaf, the governing body for football in North and Central America and the host confederation of this year’s World Cup, later issued its own statement saying all 41 members opposed the proposals.
In one respect, however, the dispute is not solely about Fifa’s case.
Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt, who also serves as a Fifa vice-president, voiced her opposition during Uefa’s emergency meeting on Thursday. The FA said it stands “shoulder to shoulder with our European colleagues” on the issue.
Scottish FA president Mike Mulraney also leads Fifa’s finance committee. In its statement, the Scottish FA said it “agrees unequivocally” with Uefa’s position.
Those who have publicly objected repeatedly expressed outrage not only at the proposals, but also at Infantino’s failure to hold meaningful consultations or discussions, including with fellow Fifa officials.
“Anger,” one source replied when asked to describe the dominant feeling at Uefa’s emergency meeting.
Infantino was elected Fifa president in 2016 after defeating Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa by 115 votes to 88. He is expected to seek a fourth term in March.
Until this week, he had been widely expected to secure re-election without an opponent. Football associations across the world, including several in Europe, have already pledged their support for the 56-year-old.
Sources now suggest that, beyond opposing Infantino’s proposal, most Concacaf members are either beginning to doubt his ability to run the sport or have already lost confidence in him entirely.
Discussions have therefore begun about identifying a candidate who could run against him.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi has emerged as one possible name. The suggestion is unsurprising, as the Qatari is already among football’s most influential figures through both his presidency of consecutive Champions League winners Paris St-Germain and his leadership role among European clubs.
Al-Khelaifi became chairman of the organisation formerly called the European Clubs’ Association after another major crisis threatened to divide the sport: the unsuccessful European Super League, which fell apart within 48 hours in 2021.
Under Al-Khelaifi, the organisation was renamed European Football Clubs and, more significantly, grew to include more than 800 members. Real Madrid are the only major club that remain outside the group.
On paper, he may appear to be the strongest potential challenger to Infantino, but he has no interest in the position. “He genuinely, genuinely, genuinely doesn’t want the job,” a source close to the 52-year-old said on Thursday when asked about that prospect.
Incumbent Fifa presidents have rarely faced election opponents. The most recent sitting president to be defeated was England’s Sir Stanley Rous, who lost to Brazilian Joao Havelange in 1974.
“I don’t know, in all honesty,” McAllister said when questioned about whether Infantino would remain in office.
Former FA chairman David Bernstein was also asked whether Infantino could retain his position.
“In an ordinary organisation, being forced to retreat over an issue of this scale would probably result in his removal,” Bernstein said.
“Fifa, however, is not an ordinary organisation. He can remain in charge if enough national associations continue to support him.”
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