Nasser Al-Khelaifi has declined to put forth a candidacy for the FIFA presidency, despite encouragement from UEFA. The Paris Saint-Germain leader was anticipated to compete in the upcoming election in March to head World Football.
According to Politico, Al-Khelaifi was viewed by executives as a potential replacement for Infantino at FIFA due to criticisms after this summer’s World Cup in North America and the organization’s intentions to sell commercial rights. Nonetheless, a source close to Al-Khelaifi stated to RMC Sport that he has no desire or interest in pursuing the FIFA presidency and will continue supporting global and European football entities.
Although Al-Khelaifi chairs European Football Clubs, which have expressed opposition to FIFA’s commercial stake sales, sources near him, also associated with the BeIN Media Group, dismissed any rumors of his candidacy, emphasizing his focus elsewhere.
Infantino is expected to be challenging to unseat in the next election, given the support he is likely to receive from member associations in South America, Asia, and Africa. Despite this, UEFA aims to challenge FIFA by seeking a new candidate for the election.
In a statement, UEFA highlighted concerns about FIFA’s commercial stake selling and emphasized the need to prioritize associations, clubs, leagues, players, and fans over enriching FIFA and its associates.