Who will be the next FIFA president? Ceferin, Al-Khelaifi, Montagliani and more rated

Gianni Infantino's presumption arsenic FIFA president has seldom looked much vulnerable, but whether the increasing absorption to his enactment tin really region him remains a precise antithetic question.

Infantino confirmed successful May that helium volition question a 4th word astatine adjacent year's FIFA statesmanlike election, which volition instrumentality spot successful Rabat, Morocco connected March 18, 2027. 

However, the governmental scenery has changed dramatically since then, with UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF present jointly calling for him to resign and retreat from the predetermination pursuing the illness of his controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.

The FFE program would person created a FIFA-owned commercialized subsidiary valued astatine astir $20bn, with up to 20% offered to extracurricular investors to rise arsenic overmuch arsenic $4.2bn, with the wealth intended to summation backing for FIFA's 211 subordinate associations. 

FIFA yet abandoned the proposal aft it triggered fierce absorption from respective confederations.

The fallout has transformed what had looked apt to beryllium different straightforward Infantino re-election into a perchance contested race, though nary large challenger has yet formally declared.

Candidates person until November 18 to enactment themselves forward, meaning the adjacent 3 months could beryllium decisive successful determining whether the absorption tin unite down 1 campaigner oregon whether Infantino's enactment basal proves excessively hard to overcome.

Sports Mole assesses the starring names successful the speech crossed 5 categories: governance, popularity, shot knowledge, top accomplishment and governmental nous, with each class worthy a maximum of 20 points.

Gianni Infantino – The incumbent

Governance: 11/20 | Popularity: 13/20 | Football knowledge: 14/20 | Greatest achievement: 18/20 | Political nous: 18/20 | Total: 74/100

It would beryllium premature to constitute Infantino disconnected – the Swiss-Italian head has been FIFA president since 2016 and was re-elected unopposed successful some 2019 and 2023, portion FIFA's rank endorsed him unanimously astatine CAF level earlier this year. 

He has besides overseen the enlargement of the men's World Cup from 32 to 48 teams and substantially accrued FIFA's improvement spending, with the governing assemblage saying it invested $5bn done the FIFA Forward programme during the past decade.

His governmental strength, however, has been severely tested by the FFE controversy.
UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF person accused Infantino of a cardinal breach of spot and called for him to measurement down, portion respective nationalist associations person withdrawn oregon questioned their support. 

The 3 confederations correspond a important voting bloc, though they cannot triumph the predetermination connected their own.

Infantino truthful remains the campaigner to beat, but helium tin nary longer presume that different uncontested predetermination awaits him.

Aleksander Ceferin – The absorption leader

Governance: 17/20 | Popularity: 15/20 | Football knowledge: 15/20 | Greatest achievement: 17/20 | Political nous: 18/20 | Total: 82/100

If the absorption yet settles connected 1 candidate, Aleksander Ceferin presently looks similar the astir evident choice.

The UEFA president has emerged arsenic the astir salient professional of Infantino, helping unite Europe's 55 subordinate associations against the FFE connection and starring UEFA's progressively assertive response to FIFA's handling of the crisis. 

He has besides established a estimation for resisting the European Super League, which collapsed arsenic a superior menace to UEFA's competitions during his presidency.

The large question is whether helium really wants the job, arsenic Ceferin announced successful 2024 that helium would not question different word arsenic UEFA president successful 2027, but that determination does not magnitude to a declaration that helium intends to tally for the FIFA presidency. 

He remains an unconfirmed imaginable candidate, though the existent situation has inevitably accrued speculation astir him.

His top vantage is governmental alternatively than geographical, but if UEFA tin transportation the different confederations that a azygous campaigner is required to decision Infantino, Ceferin possesses the illustration and acquisition to pb that coalition.

Victor Montagliani – The acheronian horse

Governance: 15/20 | Popularity: 13/20 | Football knowledge: 14/20 | Greatest achievement: 15/20 | Political nous: 18/20 | Total: 75/100

Victor Montagliani whitethorn correspond the astir realistic alternate to a European candidate.

The Canadian has been CONCACAF president since 2016 and played a large relation successful delivering the 2026 World Cup to North America, portion his confederation has grown considerably successful power during his tenure. 

He has besides developed a estimation for being capable to run crossed antithetic governmental camps, a prime that would beryllium indispensable successful a FIFA election.

Unlike Ceferin, Montagliani does not travel from Europe, which could marque him much charismatic to associations that are reluctant to manus planetary football's enactment backmost to UEFA.

Reports earlier this period that helium was considering a FIFA statesmanlike bid, though different reports person suggested that his contiguous absorption remains connected CONCACAF.

That uncertainty makes him a genuine acheronian horse, but his cross-confederational inheritance could go highly invaluable if the absorption decides that a European campaigner would conflict to triumph capable votes extracurricular UEFA.

Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa – The experienced challenger

Governance: 13/20 | Popularity: 13/20 | Football knowledge: 15/20 | Greatest achievement: 15/20 | Political nous: 18/20 | Total: 74/100

Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa is 1 of the fewer imaginable challengers who already knows precisely what it takes to tally a FIFA statesmanlike campaign.

The Bahraini head challenged Infantino successful the 2016 election, reaching the 2nd circular earlier losing 115-88, and has led the AFC since 2013.

He truthful understands some the mechanics of a FIFA predetermination and the value of gathering alliances beyond his ain confederation.

His presumption has go peculiarly absorbing pursuing the FFE controversy.
Sheikh Salman joined Ceferin and Montagliani successful today's telephone for Infantino to resign, making him 1 of the 3 astir elder shot administrators openly challenging the FIFA president.

His acquisition and AFC web marque him a credible candidate, though his erstwhile statesmanlike decision and the governmental baggage surrounding his grounds successful Bahrain would marque a run peculiarly complicated.

Nasser Al-Khelaifi – The reluctant heavyweight

Governance: 13/20 | Popularity: 16/20 | Football knowledge: 16/20 | Greatest achievement: 18/20 | Political nous: 17/20 | Total: 80/100

Few imaginable candidates person Nasser Al-Khelaifi's operation of shot influence, fiscal powerfulness and organization connections.

The Paris Saint-Germain president besides chairs the European Football Clubs association, sits connected UEFA's Executive Committee and is simply a subordinate of the FIFA Council, giving him an unusually wide web crossed nine and planetary football.

His credentials person besides been strengthened by PSG's translation into 1 of Europe's ascendant clubs, culminating successful consecutive Champions League triumphs successful 2025 and 2026.

Yet determination is 1 tremendous problem, and that is Al-Khelaifi does not look to privation the job.

A spokesperson said precocious that helium had "absolutely nary ambition, intention, oregon interest" successful becoming FIFA president, contempt reports that European officials had considered him a imaginable challenger to Infantino.

That makes him 1 of the astir intriguing names successful the contention but besides 1 of the slightest apt to really participate it.

Lise Klaveness – The reformer

Governance: 19/20 | Popularity: 12/20 | Football knowledge: 15/20 | Greatest achievement: 13/20 | Political nous: 15/20 | Total: 74/100

If the predetermination were decided purely connected governance credentials, Lise Klaveness would person an highly beardown case.

The Norwegian Football Federation president has consistently challenged FIFA implicit issues including the projected biennial World Cup, quality rights, governance and the organisation of powerfulness wrong the organisation.

Her presumption has go adjacent much important during the existent crisis. Norway has called for Infantino to resign, with Klaveness describing the concern arsenic 1 successful which spot successful the FIFA enactment has been lost.

She would correspond a precise antithetic exemplary of FIFA leadership, but that could besides beryllium her biggest obstacle.

Klaveness does not person the aforesaid planetary governmental web arsenic Ceferin, Sheikh Salman oregon Montagliani, and FIFA elections are yet won by assembling votes alternatively than winning arguments.

She could truthful go an important fig successful the anti-Infantino question without needfully being the idiosyncratic who leads it.

Who is astir apt to go the adjacent FIFA president?

The reply depends astir wholly connected whether the absorption tin unite.

Infantino inactive has important support, arsenic CAF's 54 subordinate associations unanimously backed him successful April, portion FIFA has 211 members successful total, meaning UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF cannot region him simply by acting together.

However, the associated involution from Ceferin, Montagliani and Sheikh Salman represents the clearest denotation yet that the situation has developed into a superior governmental situation to Infantino.

The astir important question earlier the November 18 deadline is truthful not simply who wants to regenerate Infantino, but who tin transportation the competing confederations to enactment 1 candidate.

A divided absorption would springiness Infantino a way to different term, peculiarly if his existing enactment successful Africa and parts of Asia and South America remains intact.
A agreed absorption would beryllium a precise antithetic proposition.

For now, Ceferin is the strongest imaginable challenger, with Montagliani arguably the astir politically absorbing alternative.

Sheikh Salman brings the acquisition of having already fought a FIFA election, portion Al-Khelaifi would instantly go a heavyweight campaigner if helium changed his mind.

But determination is simply a crushed Infantino remains the favourite to survive. Until idiosyncratic really declares, builds a conjugation and begins collecting votes, the incumbent inactive has thing each challenger desperately needs, which is simply a caput start.