PSG president rejects UEFA pressure to run for FIFA presidency
Nasser Al-Khelaifi has declined UEFA's request to challenge Gianni Infantino in the 2027 FIFA presidential election.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 / Author: Zakarie Faibis
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has declined a request from UEFA to run for the FIFA presidency. European football officials had been actively seeking a high-profile candidate to challenge the incumbent, Gianni Infantino, in the upcoming March 2027 election.
Tensions between UEFA and FIFA have reached a high point following proposals to sell off portions of FIFA’s commercial rights, a strategy critics have dubbed the "selling of the World Cup." Given that Al-Khelaifi leads the European Club Association (ECA), which has been a vocal opponent of these financial maneuvers, officials viewed him as a natural figurehead to lead the resistance.
Nasser has absolutely no ambition, no intention, nor any interest in this role at FIFA. He will continue to quietly support all global and European football institutions. Source close to Al-Khelaifi
Al-Khelaifi's rejection highlights the immense challenge of unseating Infantino. The FIFA president has spent the last decade solidifying his power base, particularly through the redistribution of wealth to member associations in Africa, Asia, and South America. This base makes any European-led challenge a mathematically difficult prospect.
With Al-Khelaifi dismissing the rumors as "media hype" and confirming his lack of interest, UEFA must now look elsewhere for a candidate willing to challenge the status quo at FIFA.