Aleksander Ceferin rules out Fifa presidency bid

Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out of the race to replace Gianni Infantino as Fifa president, removing one of the strongest potential challengers to the incumbent. The UEFA president said his priority remained the European confederation and that staying outside the contest strengthened his position as an opponent of Infantino.

The election will be held in March 2027 in Rabat, with the winner decided by Fifa’s 211 member associations. Infantino is currently the only declared candidate. Ceferin, a 58-year-old Slovenian who has led UEFA since 2016, will reach the end of his current mandate in 2027 and has also said he wants to spend more time enjoying life.

The decision leaves the opposition to Infantino searching for another name. Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf, has been mentioned as a possible challenger. UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation have recently joined in an appeal for greater unity among football’s governing bodies.

The dispute has intensified after Infantino’s failed plan to bring investors into Fifa, which triggered a crisis around his leadership. Under Ceferin, UEFA has threatened to boycott Fifa competitions, including the World Cup, even after the proposal was withdrawn. Ceferin has said he does not know who could stand against Infantino if the current president seeks re-election, while insisting that UEFA wants to reduce the gap between football’s strongest and less developed nations.