UEFA plans eleven-point reform to curb FIFA president Infantino
European football leaders are moving to strip FIFA president Gianni Infantino of his solitary powers through an eleven-point reform plan, nos.nl reported, escalating a bitter institutional conflict ahead of the March 2027 global elections.
The European governing body discussed the package during a gathering of its 55 member associations in Berlin. While the precise details of the proposals remain unreleased, the blueprint targets the structure of the world football organization specifically to curb the unilateral authority wielded by the presidency. UEFA intends to present the full eleven-point reform package publicly later on Thursday afternoon.
Electoral Stance and the Search for a Challenger
The push for institutional overhaul runs parallel to preparations for the upcoming presidential vote scheduled for March 18 in Rabat, Morocco, according to nos.nl. Gianni Infantino currently stands as the sole declared candidate for the position. A significant faction within European associations seeks to unseat the incumbent, though the confederation has not yet unified behind a challenger.
UEFA is actively drafting a formal profile for a prospective opponent to run against Infantino. Potential candidates face a registration deadline of November 18. Swiss former professional footballer Ramon Vega announced his intention to enter the electoral race this week, though questions remain regarding whether he will secure enough formal endorsements to officially qualify on the ballot, nos.nl reported.
UEFA Withdraws Backing as Rift with FIFA Widens
The rift between the two organizations widened significantly over the summer following an aborted World Cup equity proposal pushed by the Swiss official, prompting the European body to withdraw its backing. UEFA-voorzitter Aleksander Čeferin utilized the Berlin assembly to rally member unity and criticize the current administration. Pointing to the classic fable, Čeferin remarked that the emperor has no clothes, stating that football has no emperor and that administrators serve merely as custodians rather than owners. FIFA was represented at the general meeting by secretary-general Mattias Grafström rather than the president himself.
Simultaneously, the legal battle between the two governing bodies has intensified in foreign courts. FIFA has accused the European association of running a disinformation campaign intended to influence the presidential race. This counter-accusation follows a move by the European body in September to petition a United States court for access to evidentiary documents regarding the controversial FFE-project, an initiative aimed at commercializing tournament rights that was later shelved following severe pushback.
In its court filings, the European side characterized the project using terms like criminal mismanagement and fraud, hinting at potential personal gain for the FIFA leader. FIFA strongly rejected these allegations in a written statement submitted to British media, labeling the suggestions of ethical or legal violations as categorically unfounded and asserting that the opposing legal maneuver contains numerous misleading claims.
While the European leadership attempts to consolidate internal backing and locate a viable challenger before the mid-November deadline, Infantino continues his own diplomatic efforts to secure votes. Public expressions of support for the incumbent have emerged from football officials in Azerbaijan and Latvia, while the FIFA president met with regional delegates in Prague.