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Arsene Wenger is not currently expected to run against Gianni Infantino as a candidate in FIFA’s upcoming presidential election, sources have told The Athletic. The 77-year-old former Arsenal manager has served as world soccer’s governing body chief of global football development for the past seven years.
Wenger’s Position on the Election
Key stakeholders in football, including UEFA, had lobbied Wenger to run for the post ahead of the November 18 deadline. However, sources briefed on the process and not authorised to speak publicly told The Athletic that Wenger has informed European football’s governing body he does not currently intend to stand, as first reported by French newspaper L’Equipe. Wenger has not been involved in coaching since leaving Arsenal in 2018 after a 22-year tenure.
His contract with FIFA expires at the end of the current year, but the governing body is keen to extend his stay in his existing role. Had Wenger chosen to run for the presidency, his position would likely have been complicated as he would have needed to campaign on an alternative agenda.
Scrutiny Facing FIFA Leadership
Gianni Infantino’s position as FIFA’s president has been under intense scrutiny, facing multiple calls to resign following the launch and subsequent scrapping of the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. The proposal would have seen the organisation sell a stake in its event and commercial operations, including the World Cup, to private investors.
Responding to the FFE proposal, Wenger released a statement on August 4 stating he was not involved in its conception and knew nothing about it until media reports emerged. “The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency, and integrity,” Wenger said in the statement.
Wenger was also notably absent from the FIFA Management Committee’s meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on August 5, which resulted in the organisation’s leadership rallying around Infantino. Despite missing the Rabat gathering, Wenger and Infantino were pictured together in late October in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the inaugural Under-15s World Cup and Festival.
Calls for Transparency and Challengers
FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom wrote to FIFA Council members earlier this month, stating that the governing body will grant access to key material regarding the failed FFE plan. This follows a letter sent by UEFA last month detailing 42 demands, including information related to the FFE.
Ramon Vega, a former Tottenham Hotspur centre-back, became the first person to put his name forward as a challenger to Infantino in October, and Japan Football Association president Kozo Tashima has also announced his intention to stand. Prospective candidates must secure the backing of five of FIFA’s 211 national associations to be eligible.
Infantino has led FIFA since 2016, succeeding Sepp Blatter, and was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023 before announcing in April his intention to run for another four-year term in 2027. Earlier this month, former FIFA governance committee head Miguel Maduro claimed Infantino is ineligible to stand for a fourth term and urged critics to challenge his candidacy at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
