Gianni Infantino will run for FIFA president again, with the election set for March 2027.
Why it matters: The race will help decide FIFA's governance direction and how much control the sport keeps over World Cup commercial rights. It could also reshape the balance between FIFA and federations pushing for more transparency and oversight.
- FIFA said Infantino announced in Vancouver on April 30, 2026 that he would seek another term.
- The candidacy deadline is Nov. 18, 2026, ahead of the March 2027 vote.
- The bid comes after backlash over a collapsed plan to sell stakes in World Cup rights through a commercial subsidiary.
- UEFA has said it lost confidence in Infantino, while the Football Association of Ireland withdrew support over governance and transparency concerns.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino will seek another term in 2027, according to AP and a FIFA statement. FIFA said Infantino made the announcement in Vancouver on April 30, 2026, at the 76th FIFA Congress.
The election timetable is already set: candidates must declare by Nov. 18, 2026, and the vote is scheduled for March 2027, AP reported. FIFA's spokesperson said, "Of course, nothing has changed. Mr. Infantino will be standing for re-election."
The candidacy follows criticism over a plan to sell stakes in World Cup rights through a commercial subsidiary, a proposal that collapsed after opposition from several federations and confederations, according to AP. That fight has turned the election into a broader test of who controls FIFA's most valuable commercial assets.
UEFA has been the most prominent institutional critic. AP reported that UEFA said it had lost confidence in Infantino and raised the possibility of boycotting FIFA tournaments. Separately, ITV News reported that UEFA lawyers said in August they were preparing a criminal complaint in Switzerland over possible financial mismanagement tied to the abandoned deal, not that a complaint had already been filed: ITV News.
Support for Infantino remains mixed across the sport. The Football Association of Ireland withdrew its backing on Aug. 13, 2026, citing governance and transparency concerns, The Irish Times reported: The Irish Times. CAF, meanwhile, said its member associations unanimously backed him for the 2027-2031 term at a meeting in Vancouver on April 29, 2026.
By the numbers
- Nov. 18, 2026 - candidate deadline for FIFA's 2027 presidential election
- March 2027 - scheduled vote for FIFA president
- 2027-2031 - the term Infantino is seeking
What's next: Candidates must declare by Nov. 18, 2026, before the March 2027 FIFA presidential vote.