UEFA outlines criteria to find candidate to challenge FIFA President Infantino

European football governing body UEFA has detailed the qualities it requires for a candidate to run against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Al Jazeera, AOL.com, and the Toronto Star reported on October 8, 2026. The announcement came after a meeting of UEFA's 55 member federations on Thursday. The member federations met to shape a strategy to identify a challenger before a deadline on November 18. [1][5][6]

According to Al Jazeera, UEFA wants a candidate who is a respected and unifying figure who is deeply rooted in football. The governing body stated that the ideal candidate would represent FIFA globally and offer leadership without managing daily operations. Al Jazeera reported that specific potential candidates were not discussed during Thursday's meeting. [1]

Separately, former Celtic defender Ramon Vega revealed plans to challenge Infantino for the FIFA presidency, the Daily Mail reported on October 7. The 55-year-old Swiss national is the first person to state an intention to run against Infantino in the March election. [2]

Infantino has served as president of FIFA since 2016. He previously served as the Secretary General of UEFA from 2009 until 2016. FIFA organizes major global tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup every four years. [8][9]