European football leaders gathered on Wednesday with time pressing to find a candidate and shape their strategy for trying to oust Gianni Infantino as president of FIFA. The unfolding political confrontation highlights deep divisions within global sports governance.

UEFA has called its 55 member federations to a previously scheduled summit on Thursday in Berlin. The gathering arrives right in the midst of aggressive European efforts to install a new leader at the helm of football's world body.

Infantino’s divisive World Cup private investment plan—which famously failed within days of being revealed in July—pushed the European regime to act on longstanding mistrust of its former employee’s increasingly executive presidency at FIFA. Critics allege that his administrative approach has severely overstepped bounds.

Long-term plans by UEFA supposedly include preparing a criminal complaint against Infantino in Switzerland for alleged financial mismanagement in the World Cup sell-off deal. Furthermore, the European regime has reportedly asked courts in the United States to authorize the discovery of evidence.

UEFA general-secretary Theodore Theodoridis claimed last month that things went too far with FIFA and that they are looking to restore order. Despite these efforts, research suggests that Infantino already has a substantial number of votes pledged, casting doubt on the ultimate effectiveness of the European challenge.

Source: www.aljazeera.com