Arsene Wenger Weighed as Challenger to Infantino for FIFA Presidency

What changed

Senior European football figures want Arsene Wenger to challenge Gianni Infantino for the Fifa presidency.

Infantino is expected to seek a fourth and final term next year. Wenger has not declared a bid, but his possible candidacy is being raised before Thursday’s Fifa Council meeting in Zurich.

Why it matters

This is less a campaign than a test of whether Europe can find a credible challenger.

Wenger has the unusual profile of an insider with global football credibility. He has led Fifa’s global football development work since 2019, after 22 years managing Arsenal. Supporters believe his experience in football development, including his time in Japan, could help him win respect beyond Europe.

That reach would matter. Infantino is reported to retain strong support in Africa, South America and Oceania, even as criticism grows over his leadership and the abandoned Fifa Forward Enterprise plan.

Thursday’s meeting will put those tensions in the same room. Fifa is set to propose an extra $3.4bn for football development, while Infantino faces scrutiny over governance reforms, the enterprise scheme, the Fifa Peace Prize awarded to Donald Trump last year and disciplinary procedures after the Folarin Balogun affair.

Wenger’s position is awkward. He has traditionally been loyal to Infantino and remains part of Fifa’s management team. He was with Infantino and other council members at dinner in Zurich on Wednesday, and he is due to attend the meeting.

If Wenger stands, he could give the opposition a respected football figure rather than a purely political challenger. If he does not, Infantino’s path to an unopposed fourth term becomes considerably clearer. For now, Ramon Vega is the only declared candidate mentioned, and Wenger’s intentions remain unknown.