Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, 77, does not intend to run for the FIFA presidency, The Athletic reported, citing sources. According to reports, French President Emmanuel Macron personally urged Wenger to enter the race and sought to build a coalition of European leaders to back him, but the French specialist, who has been serving as FIFA's chief of global football development, reportedly decided not to challenge Gianni Infantino, the president who appointed him to that role.
Key Takeaways: 77-year-old Arsene Wenger has ruled out a bid for the FIFA presidency; Emmanuel Macron is said to have personally lobbied for his candidacy; Gianni Infantino survived a summer backlash over an attempted sale of World Cup commercial rights and later secured AFC support; the candidate registration deadline expires on November 18.
Wenger had been viewed as the only candidate capable of mounting a serious challenge to incumbent FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Infantino's standing reportedly weakened in the summer after an attempt to sell commercial rights to the World Cups to a private structure controlled by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former US President Donald Trump. UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF then demanded Infantino's resignation, but he did not step down; instead, he consolidated FIFA's leadership, held negotiations and eventually won AFC backing.
The Telegraph reported that Wenger's possible candidacy was raised to the national level. The newspaper also quoted a senior UEFA official as saying another worthy candidate could be put forward in Wenger's place. "We have another worthy candidate. We are not backing down," the official said. The remark suggests that Infantino's opponents still believe they can unite behind a single alternative.
Yet time is running short for those opponents, with the candidate registration deadline set for November 18. Wenger's withdrawal may strengthen Infantino's position, while European football bodies may now need to reassess their strategy or identify a new challenger in the final days. The next developments will likely depend on whether Infantino's rivals can agree on a common candidate before the deadline closes.
Source: kun.uz