FIFA Election: Gianni Infantino's Re-election Prospects Boosted by Victor Montagliani's Decision
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Infantino Re-election Boost as Montagliani Won't Challenge
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Victor Montagliani was considered a potential rival to Gianni Infantino's re-election bid.
By Dan Roan, Sports Editor, Simon Stone, Chief Football News Reporter, and Dale Johnson, Football Issues Correspondent
Published 8 October 2026, 15:24 BST
Updated 26 minutes ago
Gianni Infantino's chances of being re-elected as Fifa president have received a significant boost after Victor Montagliani confirmed he will not be challenging him.
The Canadian, 61, was seen as a potential candidate to challenge Infantino, 56, following the latter's failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors, which sparked global backlash. However, Montagliani has decided against running, according to sources, and instead plans to seek a final term as head of Concacaf.
This means he will not stand against Infantino, who has confirmed his intention to seek a fourth term in March's presidential election. The rebellion against him, led by European governing body Uefa, now faces the task of identifying a unifying candidate by the November 18 deadline.
Meanwhile, Aleksander Ceferin will also be seeking a fourth term as Uefa president. He made this announcement at a meeting of all 55 national association chiefs in Berlin. Uefa has also reaffirmed its opposition to Infantino and published a 14-point plan for Fifa reform.
Ceferin's decision had been widely anticipated, reversing his previous statement that he would not seek re-election, which he made in February 2024. There had been growing expectations that the 58-year-old Slovenian would stand again, especially after Uefa launched its efforts to oust Infantino following the latter's scrapped sell-off plan.
"I want to thank the national associations for their trust," said Ceferin. "We have faced extraordinary challenges over the past years, and we have faced them as one team. There is still important work ahead, and I have therefore accepted their request. My ambition remains the same: to keep European football united, make our game stronger, and leave Uefa ready for the next generation."
Ceferin has ruled out standing against Infantino but is committed to finding a candidate around whom the game can unite in March's Fifa election.