FIFA Power Shift? New Names Emerge to Replace Infantino

Fresh names have emerged as possible successors to FIFA President Gianni Infantino as pressure mounts over his leadership following the controversy surrounding a proposed World Cup investment scheme.

According to Sky News, efforts to remove Infantino are gathering pace, with what it described as a “determined effort” to force him out of office. Among those reportedly being considered as potential replacements are CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and Paris Saint-Germain President Nasser Al-Khelaifi.
The report stated that UEFA has intensified its campaign against Infantino by engaging with the English Football Association and other federations while promoting a candidate to succeed him. His support for another term reportedly declined after his unsuccessful attempt to sell a stake in the FIFA World Cup to private investors, a proposal that was opposed by UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), leading to its collapse.
UEFA is now said to be leading efforts to remove Infantino from office. A strategy that was originally expected to strengthen his chances of securing a fourth term is now being viewed as a factor that could bring an end to his presidency. Sky News reported that the campaign against him is accelerating and that it is no longer a question of if he will leave office, but when.
One option being considered is persuading Infantino to resign after a decade in charge of FIFA. If that fails, at least 43 of FIFA’s 211 member associations would need to call for an emergency congress to trigger a vote of no confidence in his leadership.
Another possible route is to unite behind a challenger in the next FIFA presidential election. According to TalkSPORT, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has appealed to football federations, including the English FA, that previously supported Infantino’s bid for a fourth term, urging them to withdraw their endorsements.