UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has said he will not stand against Gianni Infantino for FIFA president in March but has warned world football’s chief he could face a strong challenger at the polls.
After it was revealed three confederations andUEFA criticised plans to sell stakes in FIFA World Cupto private equity companies Infantino is now under enormous pressure with some having called on his leadership to be tested.
Ceferin, whose naming earlier in the month sparked hopes for a genuine bid, says Infantino has two choices: resignation now or facing election against him in March.
“One option is that he realizes he hasn’t got the support,” said Ceferin, appearing on The Rest Is Politics: Leading podcast. ” And, second option is that he stands the elections in March. So, he goes to elections in March, then I think he’ll get one candidate against him.”
Still, though the Slovak insists he will not challenge the FIFA president, and insists he would be an unusual candidate, “Because I’m not a candidate for presidency of the FIFA because first of all, because I love working for UEFA, I love UEFA. So, yes.”
The deadline for candidates’ registration closes on November 18 as Infantino hopes for a landslide third win, just one year after his landslide election, to keep himself at the top for another four years. The election to find FIFA’s new leader will be held in Morocco in March
