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The momentum appears to have shifted entirely in his favor. A strong green light has been given to the path toward a fourth consecutive term for Gianni Infantino (56), FIFA President.
British media outlet 'BBC' reported on the 9th (Korean time) that "the re-election prospects of In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) have significantly increased after Victor Montagliani, President of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), who was mentioned as a potential rival, expressed his intention to remain in his current position."
According to local reports, Montagliani is the figure who had drawn attention as the most likely challenger at the time In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) attempted to sell World Cup shares to private investors but faced global backlash and subsequently withdrew the plan.
However, instead of choosing a head-to-head confrontation with Infantino, Montagliani conveyed to his colleagues his intention to complete his final term as CONCACAF President. The British media outlet 'The Guardian' also confirmed that Montagliani will not run in the next presidential election to be held in March next year. With Montagliani's withdrawal, In Pan-ti-no (Chairman)'s bid for a fourth term has become considerably smoother.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), which has been at the center of the movement calling for Infantino's resignation, also failed to present a direct counter-card. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin officially declared his challenge for a fourth term as UEFA President at a meeting of association presidents from 55 member nations held in Berlin, Germany, thereby drawing a line against a direct confrontation with Infantino.
Ceferin had expressed his intention not to run again in February 2024, but reversed his stance amid the current trend within UEFA aimed at ousting Infantino. Ceferin stated, "I am grateful for the trust of the member associations. We have faced enormous challenges over the past few years and stood together as a team. There are still important tasks ahead, so we accepted their request," adding, "We will maintain the unity of European football and prepare UEFA to welcome the next generation." Ceferin has stated that instead of running himself, he aims to find a single candidate who can unite the world by the candidate registration deadline on November 18. However, as leading competitors have withdrawn one after another, he is struggling without presenting a clear alternative.
Swiss defender Ramon Vega, formerly of Tottenham Hotspur, has expressed his intention to run. However, the situation remains uncertain even regarding securing the minimum requirement for candidate registration: recommendations from five national football associations.
UEFA is intensifying pressure by publishing a 14-point FIFA reform proposal that includes reducing powers directly under Mo A (Chairman), excluding executive interference in ethics and disciplinary oversight bodies, prohibiting the use of FIFA resources for electoral purposes, and providing an additional $10 million (approximately 13.5 billion won) in support to 211 member associations, with the backing of 54 member nations excluding Azerbaijan. UEFA argued that "organizational reform alone is insufficient, and a respected, unifying new leadership capable of earning global trust is needed," but it is suffering internally for failing to find a substantial challenger to step into the ring.
With the candidate registration deadline approaching in just over a month and leading competitors dropping out one after another, the atmosphere suggests that In Pan-ti-no (Chairman)'s long-term rule is effectively solidifying.
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*This content was translated by AI.View Original
