Arsène Wenger will decide this week whether to run for FIFA president and challenge the current head of world football's governing body, Gianni Infantino. The former Arsenal manager is being encouraged by representatives of European football, but has not yet made a final decision.
According to the BBC, people close to the 77-year-old Frenchman claim that he is seriously considering the proposal. Wenger has not publicly commented on the speculation, while European football leaders are still discussing who could be the most suitable challenger to Infantino.
“DPA” reports that the deadline for submitting candidacies is 18 November. The election will be held at the FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 March 2027. Infantino intends to run for a fourth term.
Europe is looking for a candidate to challenge Infantino
UEFA is among Infantino's most outspoken critics, but so far it has not officially announced whom it will support. Wenger is one of the options under discussion, although according to the Irish Times, he has not been identified as the definitive favourite and other names are also being considered.
The Frenchman's candidacy would carry weight because of his many years of work in football and his knowledge of FIFA's administration. Since 2019, he has been the governing body's director of global football development.
According to the BBC, some of Wenger's supporters would accept him winning the election and subsequently stepping down before completing a full four-year term. The reason is his age and the question of whether he would be able to lead the organisation over the longer term.
The dispute over FIFA's commercial plan
Infantino's political position was shaken during the summer after a plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights to the World Cup to private investors. The project was withdrawn in August following resistance from several continental confederations, including UEFA.
Wenger said that he had not been involved in preparing the plan and had initially learned about it from the media. “The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and indisputable,” he said, stressing that he believed in an independent FIFA that operates with commitment, transparency and integrity.
Infantino, however, retains support in South America, Africa and Asia, making a potential Wenger candidacy difficult but significant in the electoral battle. Among the candidates already declared is Kozo Tashima, honorary president of the Japan Football Association.
Sources: sports.yahoo.com, irishtimes.com, ca.sports.yahoo.com