UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has ruled himself out of the running to replace FIFA chief Gianni Infantino but warned the beleaguered FIFA boss that he must either quit or face a leadership challenge in March.
Infantino has come under increasing pressure to step down over his aborted plans to secure private investment in FIFA tournaments, with three continental confederations accusing him of “deception” and UEFA threatening a boycott of FIFA competitions.
Despite being widely seen as a potential challenger to Infantino, the 58-year-old Čeferin expressed his commitment to UEFA in an interview with The Rest is Politics podcast.
Čeferin said: “I’m not interested because of two reasons. One reason is that I love UEFA and I love working here, and I think that at a certain point… It’s time to also enjoy life a bit.
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“And the second point is, my credibility is much, much higher if I’m not interested in the position.”
Čeferin has led the opposition to Infantino since the FIFA president revealed his plans to seek private investment in a company to run FIFA tournaments, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
And he believes that Infantino, who was previously regarded as untouchable in his position as head of football’s world governing body, will either have to step down or face opposition if he seeks re-election at the next FIFA Congress in Morocco.
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“Things are changing every day,” added Čeferin, who revealed he has not spoken to Infantino since the start of the controversy.
“Every day there are different discussions. I didn’t speak with him. But there are two options. One option is that he realises that he doesn’t have the support, and that’s not only a political support of the ones who vote, but the political support of football community, the political support of fans, the political support of the players, former players, coaches.
“And the second option that he goes to the elections in March, but in that case, I think he will have a candidate against him. I don’t know yet who.”
Infantino was in the Dominican Republic at the weekend, where he bizarrely responded “See you at the hairdressers” when asked by Sky News’ James Matthews — who, like Infantino himself, is bald — if he intended to step down.
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Three confederations — UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) — are reported to be mulling over bringing a no-confidence vote at the Congress which would place more doubt over Infantino’s future. He still appears to retain the support of the African and South American confederations CAF and CONMEBOL.
Infantino, a former UEFA secretary general, had the broad backing of European nations when he succeeded Sepp Blatter as FIFA president in 2016. The then-Football Association chairman Greg Dyke endorsed Infantino’s campaign, calling him a “straightforward guy.”
All four home nations, along with the Republic of Ireland, are among those who have withdrawn their support for Infantino in the wake of the post-World Cup controversy.
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And Čeferin dismissed a perceived assumption on behalf of Infantino and FIFA that UEFA is acting in the interests of some of the most powerful federations and clubs in the world.
“What I hear is that they [FIFA] play on, you know, ‘arrogant Europe is against us,'” added Čeferin. “‘They have enough money, but I help the small and the poor,’ and stuff like that.
“But I think someone should remind him that he is a European, and that he was supported by UEFA, which he forgot.”
