The most powerful football confederation in the world just told the most powerful man in football to update his resume. UEFA and the German Football Association have declined to endorse Gianni Infantino’s bid for a third term as FIFA president, marking a significant escalation in the long-simmering feud between European football governance and FIFA’s top office.
The DFB has been particularly vocal, explicitly declining to back Infantino’s reelection and reiterating that stance in a May 2026 statement. Infantino declared his intention to run again during the FIFA Congress in April 2026.
A continental cold shoulder
UEFA federations have been actively discussing support for an alternative candidate since at least mid-July 2026, with names like UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi floating around as potential challengers.
Neither has formally declared a candidacy. No unified UEFA-backed challenger has emerged yet. European federations from multiple nations are engaged in these discussions, but consensus remains elusive.
