UEFA is seeking a challenger to FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of next year's election, calling for a respected and unifying leader with deep roots in football as Africa's 54 member associations pledged their unconditional support for the incumbent.
European soccer's governing body outlined its strategy Thursday after a meeting of its 55 member federations in Berlin, signaling a growing divide over FIFA's leadership, governance and financial priorities ahead of the March 18 election in Rabat, Morocco.
UEFA said FIFA needed a president who could unite the global game, command confidence across regions and prioritize development, reform, integrity and independence.
The candidate should represent FIFA worldwide and provide leadership without becoming involved in the organization's day-to-day management, UEFA said, without identifying a potential challenger.
The search could extend beyond Europe as Infantino seeks to retain the backing of FIFA's 211 member federations. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has led efforts to challenge Infantino's increasingly executive-style leadership but ruled himself out of the FIFA race.
Instead, Ceferin confirmed Thursday that he would seek a fourth and final term as UEFA president at an election scheduled for April 22 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The announcement came despite his 2024 pledge not to seek another term, removing one of the most prominent potential challengers to Infantino from consideration.
The growing opposition to Infantino follows a controversial proposal to sell private investors stakes in the World Cup and other FIFA tournaments. The plan, which was quickly abandoned after a backlash, intensified long-standing European concerns about FIFA's governance and decision-making.
UEFA used its Berlin meeting to set out a series of reforms it wants FIFA to adopt, including stronger protections for oversight bodies against interference from the president or senior executives.
"No FIFA resources may be used for personal or electoral interests," the proposed reforms stated.
The measures were backed by all UEFA members except Azerbaijan, which has pledged its support to Infantino. One of the FIFA president's key campaign aides is Azerbaijani.
German footballfederation president Bernd Neuendorf, a member of the FIFA Council, expressed doubts that meaningful changes could be achieved under the current leadership.
"I'm not convinced personally that a credible reform process can be achieved under the current FIFA leadership," Neuendorf told reporters.
UEFA also renewed its call for FIFA to distribute a one-off $10 million payment to each of its 211 member associations from its reserves. FIFA's cash reserves stand at nearly $6 billion following the lucrative 2026 World Cup, which is being hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Ceferin and other global footballofficials are due to meet Infantino in Zurich next week for the first meeting of the 37-member FIFA Council since the private investment proposal became public.
The meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for officials to address their differences over FIFA's direction and the independence of its decision-making bodies.
UEFA's concerns extend beyond financial matters to decisions involving players and competitions.
FIFA's handling of disciplinary and eligibility cases involving Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, United States forward Folarin Balogun and Congo goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi has raised questions among footballofficials.
Infantino's influence over sporting decisions has also come under scrutiny following Inter Miami's inclusion in the 2025 Club World Cup despite the Major League footballteam not being the league's champion. The decision was made without a clearly established consultation process, prompting further questions about FIFA's governance.
While UEFA considers its options, Infantino has been strengthening his support elsewhere, particularly in Africa, where the continent's 54 national federations have pledged to back his reelection.
At a conference in Cape Verde on Thursday, Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe announced the continent's unanimous support for Infantino, giving the FIFA president a significant boost as he seeks another term.
"There is a unanimous decision by the 54 CAF member associations to unconditionally support Gianni as president of FIFA," Motsepe told delegates.
He attributed the backing to Infantino's support for African footballsince taking office in February 2016.
Infantino, who received a standing ovation at the gathering, reminded African officials of FIFA's investment in the continent through its development programs.
"With the FIFA Forward program we have invested, in 10 years, $1 billion in Africa, $500 million in the last four years," Infantino said. "One hundred and 24 different projects and many other actions."
He described the investment as part of a broader effort to strengthen African footballand said FIFA would continue seeking additional resources to help the continent compete at the highest level.
Infantino also acknowledged that disagreements could arise within the global game, urging officials to address concerns through dialogue without directly referring to the abandoned private investment proposal.
"When you go through a journey, sometimes concerns are raised," he said. "When they are raised, we have to address them."
He added that FIFA remained committed to expanding opportunities for African teams, pointing to the continent's representation at the 2026 World Cup.
"Ten countries at the World Cup has been a success for the entire continent," Infantino said.
"We will continue to look for the resources and the increases in funding that are necessary to boost the African game to the top of world football."
Africa's backing contrasts with the opposition emerging in Europe, highlighting the challenge facing any candidate seeking to unseat Infantino. The continent represents more than a quarter of FIFA's voting membership, making its support a valuable asset in a contest decided by national federations.
Former Switzerland and Tottenham defender Ramon Vega has already said he intends to challenge Infantino, marking a second attempt to run against the FIFA president after failing to secure the required support from five federations in 2019.
It remains unclear whether Vega meets FIFA's eligibility requirement that candidates must have held a recognized role in footballfor at least two of the previous five years.