Gianni Infantino's position as FIFA president has come under unprecedented scrutiny after the governing body abandoned its controversial World Cup investment
proposal following widespread opposition from football's leading confederations.
With UEFA declaring it has lost confidence in Infantino and FIFA's presidential election scheduled for March 2027, attention has shifted to who could emerge as a challenger if the Swiss official faces a contested election for the first time since taking office in 2016.
Here are the leading names being linked with a potential FIFA presidential bid.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi has emerged as an early favourite
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is widely regarded as one of the strongest potential challengers.
The Qatari sports executive already holds influential positions across football as chairman of the European Club Association (ECA), chairman of beIN Media Group, a member of UEFA's Executive Committee and a FIFA Council member.
Having overseen PSG's transformation into European champions, Al-Khelaifi has built significant influence within both club and international football, making him a credible candidate should he decide to enter the race.
Aleksander Ceferin carries UEFA's backing
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has become the face of opposition to Infantino following FIFA's abandoned investment plan.
Under Ceferin's leadership, UEFA unanimously rejected the proposal and threatened to boycott FIFA competitions before the governing body withdrew the plan. UEFA later stated it had "lost confidence" in Infantino, underlining the widening rift between football's two most powerful governing bodies.
Although Ceferin has not publicly declared any intention to run, his position as head of UEFA would make him one of the most influential figures in any presidential election.
Victor Montagliani offers continuity from within FIFA
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is another prominent name being discussed.
The Canadian is already one of FIFA's vice presidents and played a central role in organising the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
While CONCACAF opposed FIFA's commercial proposal, the confederation stopped short of supporting UEFA's boycott, positioning Montagliani as a potential consensus candidate capable of attracting support across multiple regions.
Sheikh Salman could revive long-standing ambitions
Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa is no stranger to FIFA presidential politics.
The Bahraini royal lost to Infantino in the 2016 election but remains one of football's most senior administrators as FIFA's senior vice-president.
Sheikh Salman was among the strongest critics of the World Cup investment proposal, describing the plans as "totally unacceptable" before the proposal was withdrawn. With nominations for the next election due later this year, he could view the current uncertainty as another opportunity to contest FIFA's top job.
Patrice Motsepe remains an outside contender
CAF president Patrice Motsepe has also been mentioned as a possible candidate.
The South African businessman has led African football since 2021 and has sought to modernise the continent's competitions and commercial structure.
However, CAF has faced its own governance challenges in recent months, including controversy surrounding the Africa Cup of Nations final, making Motsepe a less obvious favourite than some of the other names linked with the role.
Infantino's future remains uncertain
Despite the growing speculation, Infantino has not indicated that he intends to step aside.
The FIFA president withdrew the World Cup investment proposal after mounting resistance from UEFA, CONCACAF and other stakeholders, but the episode has significantly weakened his standing within global football.
Whether that translates into a serious electoral challenge remains unclear. Infantino has previously secured re-election unopposed, but the collapse of the investment plan has increased the likelihood that the 2027 FIFA presidential race could become the most competitive contest since he first succeeded Sepp Blatter a decade ago.
