The mood inside UEFA is shifting, with reports that some members are lining up behind the idea of a challenger to Gianni Infantino in FIFA’s next presidential race, according to talkSPORT. If that push gains traction, it would be the strongest sign yet that his hold on world football is no longer unshakable.
Aleksander Ceferin and Nasser Al-Khelaifi are regarded as long shots, despite Al-Khelaifi continuing to attract some support. UEFA executives, meanwhile, are reportedly looking at Legia Warsaw owner Dariusz Mioduski as the likelier fallback candidate.
This latest development follows weeks of fallout over FIFA’s handling of Folarin Balogun’s red-card ban, which UEFA criticized publicly before the decision was reversed after President Trump said he had personally spoken to Infantino.
Who Could Challenge Gianni Infantino?
Jacobs says support is growing inside UEFA for backing a challenger. Still, he doesn’t see Ceferin or Al-Khelaifi as the likely pick, even though Al-Khelaifi does have real support from some executives.
Mioduski’s name has emerged as the alternative, with UEFA figures presenting him as a credible option thanks to his influence in European club football’s governance circles. Still, nothing here points to a confirmed candidacy.
No one has launched an official campaign, and Infantino remains the clear favorite to win re-election, regardless of the reported internal interest. Infantino has gone unopposed in his last two FIFA presidential elections, so even the appearance of a real challenger now would break a decade-long pattern.
Why UEFA Is Pushing for a New Candidate
The row escalated after UEFA issued a statement saying FIFA had “crossed a red line” by suspending Balogun’s red-card ban, following reports that Trump had lobbied Infantino about the ruling. The backlash wasn’t limited to official circles.
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp summed up the wider mood bluntly, saying that if Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino really sorted the matter out between them, “it is madness” and raises serious questions about the sport.
England’s federation has been dragged into the middle of the dispute. The FA was reportedly ready to back Infantino’s re-election before the controversy erupted, and that support now looks uncertain, even if it hasn’t been pulled completely.
Infantino has pushed back against the underlying accusation directly, maintaining that FIFA's "judicial bodies are independent" and operate without influence from his office, rejecting any suggestion the Balogun reversal was steered by outside pressure.
Why Infantino Still Holds the Advantage
FIFA's presidency is decided by 211 member associations, each holding a single vote, with 106 required to win outright. Infantino already appears to have the numbers locked up. Between CONMEBOL’s 10 votes, CAF’s 54 and AFC’s 47, he’s sitting on about 111 before UEFA’s 55 associations even weigh in.
Even if UEFA were to line up completely against Infantino, that alone still wouldn’t be enough to stop him under the current voting structure. His backing has long been stronger in Africa and South America than in Europe, and this latest UEFA push does little to change that.
Who Is Dariusz Mioduski?
Mioduski’s path into football runs well outside the usual executive script. Born in Poland, he left communist rule at 17, landed in the United States with no English, worked at McDonald's, and eventually earned a law degree from Harvard.
Since 2017, he has owned and run Legia Warsaw, Poland's biggest club, establishing himself in football through club ownership rather than the sport's traditional administrative pathway. He also serves as vice-chairman of the European Club Association, which has put him close to club, UEFA and FIFA negotiations in recent years.
That kind of experience could matter if he ever mounts a formal campaign. So far, it’s all still talk. No formal challenge has been confirmed, and the shape of any bid against Infantino remains unclear, with the 2027 vote still ahead.
