Three weeks ago I thought he was finished. I didn't realize that after 10 years in power, the relationships he built were almost inseparable - one of world football's representatives with direct knowledge of the talks held by high-ranking officials told Reuters about Infantino's chances of retaining his position.
Opponents need to change their strategy
This means that the Swiss's opponents will have to change their strategy and focus on limiting his powers - which is a radical change in the situation compared to a few weeks ago, when leading football officials believed that the position of the head of the world federation was untenable.
Gianni Infantino, now 56, who has Italian and Swiss citizenship, faced a challenge this year after the collapse of the project of selling 20 percent shares in the competitions organized by FIFA, including the World Cup, to private investors.
This plan sparked fierce opposition. The group of entities demanding changes at the top of FIFA's government includes, among others: UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the North American CONCACAF. Several European national associations have since withdrawn support for Infantino's re-election. France joined them on Thursday.
Confidence in the FIFA president has been broken. Our task now is to select a program and a candidate, and then ensure his victory, said Philippe Diallo, president of the French federation.
While FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstroem lamented the "sad and reprehensible sequence of events" that led to the project's abandonment, he reiterated his full support for Infantino after the meeting in Rabat. As the image crisis subsides, the electoral calculus becomes more and more difficult for Infantino's opponents.
No rival candidate?
Before the March elections, there was no candidate capable of gaining sufficient support among the 211 FIFA member associations. Infantino maintains strong support from countries outside Europe.
During the FIFA congress, each association has one vote, which means that an effective attempt to change the government would require the creation of a coalition going far beyond the 55 members of the European federation UEFA. This presents Infantino's opponents with a potentially risky dilemma: challenging the president and failing could strengthen rather than weaken his power.
The president of PSG withdraws
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is seen as one of the few potential candidates capable of building a coalition that could defeat Infantino. He could pose serious competition, but he himself ruled out this possibility. Through a spokesman, he said that he was not interested in becoming FIFA president.
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani was also mentioned among potential candidates, but it is unlikely that he would decide to run in the elections without being sure that he has sufficient support. No other major candidate has emerged, although someone from Africa or Asia may still be nominated by November 18. The situation in Oceania proves the durability of support for Infantino. Steeve Laigle, president of the New Caledonia football federation, said most of the local federation heads have consistently supported him.
"We remain loyal until the end"
He added that Infantino had built loyalty among smaller federations by paying more attention to their needs and helping to develop the discipline. When we give our word, when we are loyal to someone, we remain loyal to the end, he emphasized.
Similar sentiments prevail in Africa. A representative of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) authorities claims that the vast majority of federation presidents are satisfied with Infantino's actions and believe that further support will translate into greater financial resources for the development of football. Morocco, one of the most influential federations in Africa, is also among Infantino's outspoken supporters. According to a senior CAF representative, there is a belief in African football circles that the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Association, Fouzi Lekjia, was promised to host the 2030 World Cup final in exchange for helping maintain African support for Infantino.
The FIFA presidential elections will take place on March 18, 2027 in Rabat. Infantino has led FIFA since 2016. His predecessor was Joseph Blatter.
