Arsène Wenger not expected to run against Infantino for FIFA presidency

Wenger expected to stay out

Arsène Wenger is not currently expected to stand against Gianni Infantino in FIFA's presidential election, according to sources cited by The Athletic. L'Équipe first reported the 77-year-old former Arsenal manager's current thinking, and the Press Association said Wenger had already told UEFA that he would not challenge the incumbent. Wenger has been FIFA's director of football development since 2019, and his contract expires at the end of this year, although FIFA is keen to extend it. Several football stakeholders, UEFA among them, had lobbied him to run, and he would have been seen as a serious rival given his standing in the sport. Le Soir reported that he had been weighing a candidacy since late August without making a final decision.

Infantino's path to a fourth term

Gianni Infantino, 56, is seeking a fourth term, with the vote scheduled for 18 March 2027 in Rabat, Morocco. A candidate needs the backing of five member associations to stand, and a winner needs 106 of the 211 votes. The Independent reportedly puts Infantino's support at 116 votes, with 91 countries opposed. Kozo Tashima, a 68-year-old Japanese former JFA president and FIFA Council member, has put his name forward. Blick describes him as the only serious challenger so far, while another account says Ramon Vega, 55, was the first to drop out and a different report says he has again announced a bid, so Vega's status remains unclear.

Backing and opposition

The Confederation of African Football, with 54 votes, is lined up behind Infantino's re-election. The Asian confederation, with 46 votes, first signed a letter of dissent over the FFE project alongside UEFA and CONCACAF, but reversed course two weeks ago and officially backed him. The Caribbean Football Union endorsed his re-election on 6 November, adding to an endorsement from Mexico, while the Oceania confederation, with 11 votes, publicly acknowledged progress under his leadership. Japan has not offered support because Tashima is its candidate, and Jordan has not offered support either. Il Messaggero reports that UEFA is largely opposed to his re-election, with Azerbaijan, Latvia, Malta and possibly the Czech Republic as exceptions.

CAF (Africa)54

AFC (Asia)46

CONCACAF35

OFC (Oceania)11

CAF (Africa)

54 votes

AFC (Asia)

46 votes

CONCACAF

35 votes

OFC (Oceania)

11 votes

Data from the article text

The FFE dispute and Wenger's distance

The FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal would have handed private investors a 20% share of FIFA's commercial activities, including World Cup rights. It was launched and then scrapped. Wenger issued a statement on 4 August saying he had not been involved in the idea and had only learned of it through the media. He called the withdrawal necessary:

“The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity.”

The former Arsenal manager was absent from the FIFA Management Committee meeting in Rabat on 5 August, a gathering that rallied the leadership around Infantino. The pair were nonetheless pictured together at the end of October in Baku, Azerbaijan, at the inaugural Under-15s World Cup and Festival. Infantino has faced multiple calls to resign since the proposal surfaced.

Timeline of the race

Key dates run from Wenger's August statement to the March vote. The candidacy deadline falls on 18 November, four days after the reports of his decision, and the election follows in Rabat on 18 March 2027. UEFA has said it will field a candidate against Infantino, but the timetable is tight.