A contested bid for FIFA’s top post
Victor Montagliani, the president of CONCACAF, is reportedly preparing to enter the race for the presidency of FIFA, setting up a potential showdown with the organization’s incumbent, Gianni Infantino, ahead of the March 2025 election.
The prospect of a challenge comes as FIFA’s proposal to monetize the World Cup by creating a $20 billion subsidiary has drawn fire from regional confederations. In a meeting on Thursday, the 41 member associations of CONCACAF rejected the plan, though they stopped short of backing UEFA’s call for a full boycott.
Infantino had announced in April that he intends to seek a fourth term, with the election scheduled for March 18, 2025, in Morocco. The timing of the vote, combined with the financial restructuring plan, has intensified scrutiny of the governance process at the sport’s global governing body.
The Mexican Football Federation, known as the FMF, has said it will examine the details of the proposal before taking a position, reflecting the cautious stance of several national bodies that are wary of a rushed decision‑making process.
CONCACAF voiced ‘deep concerns’ over what it described as a lack of due process, a compressed timeline, and the absence of review by FIFA’s governance committees, underscoring the broader unease among football’s continental leaders about the direction of the sport’s flagship tournament.
The episode highlights a pivotal moment for FIFA, as the organization navigates internal dissent, external pressure from sponsors, and the expectations of a global fanbase that watches the World Cup as both a sporting and commercial spectacle.