Fifa President Gianni Infantino is set to confront senior leaders of the global football governing body on Wednesday amidst growing questions about his leadership. Potential challenges to his presidency are being considered, though significant hurdles remain for any opposition.
One avenue for challenging Infantino could be an emergency meeting of the Fifa Council, which would require a call from 19 of its 37 members. However, doubts exist about whether this threshold can be met. Another, more formal, path involves triggering an extraordinary congress of Fifa's 211 member associations. This would require a written request from at least one-fifth of the associations, or 43 nations. The Confederation of African Football (Caf) has 55 member nations and could initiate this process.
Such an extraordinary congress, if convened, would likely take at least two to three months to organize and would require a minimum of 106 votes to pass a motion of no confidence. This timeline could provide Infantino with an opportunity to regain support from those who may be displeased with recent decisions, such as an investment plan. Uefa, with its 55 member nations, would need strong confidence in securing the necessary votes before pursuing this route.
Alternatively, opposition could focus on finding a suitable candidate to contest the Fifa presidency at the upcoming Fifa Congress in March. Infantino has stood unopposed in his re-elections in 2019 and 2023. The deadline for candidates to announce their intention to run is November 18. Victor Montagliani, the president of Concacaf, is considered a potential contender. However, similar to historical precedents, such as Sepp Blatter's re-election shortly before his resignation in 2015, there is no guarantee of success for any challenger.
The coming days will be crucial in determining the immediate future of Infantino's presidency, with significant developments possible depending on the outcomes of discussions among Fifa executives.