‘I’m not interested’ – Ceferin dismisses FIFA ambition amid Infantino uncertainty
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has ruled out any possibility of contesting the FIFA presidency, insisting he has no interest in succeeding Gianni Infantino despite growing speculation over the future of world football’s top office.
The Slovenian football administrator made his position clear while discussing the leadership of the global governing body ahead of the next FIFA Congress in March 2027.
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His comments come at a time when Infantino is facing heavy criticism following the collapse of a controversial proposal to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors.
Ceferin, who has led UEFA since 2016, said his focus remains firmly on European football and suggested he has no plans to enter the race for the most powerful position in the sport.
Why ceferin won’t run
Speaking on the Rest is Politics podcast, Ceferin explained that his commitment to UEFA and personal priorities were behind his decision to stay out of the contest.
“I’m not interested because of two reasons. One reason is that I love UEFA and I love working here, and I think that at a certain point, it’s time to also enjoy life a bit.”
He also argued that remaining independent from the FIFA race strengthens his credibility when commenting on issues affecting global football governance.
“The second point is, my credibility is much, much higher if I’m not interested in the position.”
Ceferin’s remarks are significant because he had been widely viewed as one of the strongest potential challengers to Infantino should the FIFA presidency become contested.
Pressure grows on infantino
Although Ceferin has removed himself from consideration, he believes Infantino could still face a challenge before the next election cycle.
The UEFA chief suggested there are two possible outcomes: either Infantino decides not to seek another mandate because of declining support, or another candidate emerges to contest the election.
“And the second option that he goes to the elections in March, but in that case, I think he will have a candidate against him. I don’t know yet who.”
Tensions between Uefa and Fifa have intensified in recent months after widespread opposition forced FIFA to abandon plans to create a new commercial entity that would have managed the rights to its competitions.
Several football associations have since withdrawn support for Infantino, while UEFA has publicly questioned confidence in his leadership.
Despite that, the Swiss administrator continues to enjoy backing from several confederations, including South America’s CONMEBOL and Africa’s CAF.