FIFA, the global governing body of football, is facing a leadership challenge as its current president, Gianni Infantino, appears to be in a strong position to remain in power despite recent controversies. Five months before the FIFA Congress in March 2027, UEFA, the European football governing body, and its president, Aleksander Ceferin, are struggling to find a suitable candidate to oppose Infantino. The crisis began after the 2022 World Cup, when Infantino abandoned a plan to create a commercial company called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), which would have allowed private investors to take part in the organization’s business. This move has led UEFA to believe that the time has come to end Infantino’s leadership, which began in 2016. However, finding a strong opponent has proven difficult, and the deadline for submitting candidacies is set for November 18. One key challenge is that the candidate cannot be a European, as this would raise concerns about UEFA attempting to dominate FIFA and prevent other regions from having a say. This is why the Slovenian Football Association, which is part of UEFA, has decided not to challenge Infantino directly. A source close to FIFA told AFP that a European candidate would have little chance of success. Instead, UEFA has considered CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, a Canadian who is not European and has expressed interest in leading FIFA after Infantino. Montagliani has worked to promote women’s football and is seen as a unifying figure. However, he has not yet announced his candidacy, and he may be focused on his own re-election in 2027. Other potential candidates have also stepped back from the race. Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, the president of Paris Saint-Germain, said he had "no interest in FIFA," possibly to avoid conflict with the Qatari football federation, which supports Infantino. The idea of supporting Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa of Bahrain, who lost to Infantino in 2016, has also faded. A source close to UEFA said he has "no chance" of winning. As a result, no strong alternative to Infantino has emerged, even as he travels the world to gather support. Despite these challenges, UEFA remains determined to find a way to reduce Infantino’s influence. A source close to FIFA told AFP that Infantino is likely to be re-elected, but the goal is to reform FIFA’s governance to limit his power. Infantino has already proposed reforms to FIFA’s 211 member federations, promising a better distribution of money, a key issue for many national associations. Meanwhile, UEFA is working with Florida courts to obtain documents related to the FFE project, which could be used in a legal case against Infantino in Swiss courts. As the FIFA Congress approaches, UEFA is meeting in Berlin to discuss its next steps, with time running out to find a credible opponent for Infantino.