Aleksander Ceferin wants Club World Cup boycott as he plots Gianni Infantino downfall with Nasser Al-Khelaifi talks

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin is planning face-to-face talks with Nasser Al-Khelaifi at the Super Cup final on August 12.

Al-Khelaifi is one of Ceferin’s key allies and talkSPORT understands the UEFA President is pushing for European Football Clubs (EFC), chaired by Al-Khelaifi, to boycott the 2029 Club World Cup.

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However, this would require club-wide engagement with the 850+ members.

The inaugural edition was won by Chelsea last summer, but plans for the 2029 event remain complete up in the air. No location or financing has yet been determined, and it is not covered by any current FIFA/EFC agreement.

Infantino has been hoping to expand the tournament to 48 teams, as well as launch a women’s edition. The EFC was broadly supportive of the 2025 plans despite tensions in the lead-up to the tournament, and Al-Khelaifi played a pivotal role in determining the funding model.

Yet a major sticking point is promised solidarity payments from the 2025 edition have not yet been settled with many clubs demanding payment from FIFA.

The proposed 2029 Club World Cup lacks key foundational elements such as a location, funding structure, format or sponsors, and the tournament would not gain EFC support unless that changes.

Ceferin, meanwhile, wants the EFC to go public saying they will no longer work with FIFA on the Club World Cup while Infantino remains in charge.

UEFA are mobilising on a concerted effort for Infantino to resign. Ceferin has led calls for a blanket withdraw of letters in support of Infantino, and on Monday the Welsh FA confirmed they had revoked their endorsement pointing towards “recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement.”

The English FA are yet to release a statement, but talkSPORT understands they will also remove their support of Infantino.

Who wants to be president?

Ceferin himself has no plans to stand for FIFA president, but would support Al-Khelaifi doing so. The two will meet during the showpiece Super Cup clash between PSG and Aston Villa.

In fact, several UEFA Member Associations would back the Qatari executive to go head-to-head against Infantino even though sources close to the PSG president has ‘no ambition’ to do so, according to a a spokesperson.

There is a growing sense within UEFA that it might be better to back a candidate from outside the confederation in order to gain more votes. UEFA vice-president Laura McAllister told Hawksbee & Jacobs Infantino needs a rival if he doesn’t quit.

“I think there has to be a candidate against Infantino now, and the important thing is that candidate can unite the opposition to him across the world,” said the former Wales international.

“Clearly we have made our voice heard, as have the Asian federation (AFC) and Concacaf, but we need to have a candidate that can really unite the world to ensure he or she is capable of beating Infantino.”

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is giving serious thought to standing, and his confederation carries a further 35 votes. Alignment between UEFA and Concacaf could take a candidate to a maximum 90 votes, needing just 16 more for a majority.

However, Switzerland released a statement saying they want a ‘personal exchange’ with Infantino before determining next steps, while Czech Republic FA President David Trunda initially backed Infantino’s controversial privatisation plans, even though UEFA’s subsequent statement against FIFA Forward Enterprise made it clear all 55 members were opposed.

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Many insiders believe both Infantino and Montagliani are currently doing the maths to inform their position, but Ceferin is now hoping to either persuade Al-Khelaifi to stand or to get behind Montagliani.

UEFA insiders want a singular candidate to come forward believing it will encourage other federations to back them publicly.

talkSPORT can also reveal there are calls from some senior leaders for the remit and title of the FIFA president to be changed entirely into more of a ‘chair’ role.

This would see an elected official supported by a small inner circle of vice-chairs, representative of various bodies, that collectively report into the FIFA Council thus creating more checks and balances.

It would essentially found an executive leadership team rather than a sole leader. That could be a way of convincing Al-Khelaifi, as well as some high-profile confederation heads, to be back this proposal and even be involved

Infantino is also in many ways already campaigning having personally reached out to several federations. Saudi Arabia and Qatar were two of the first to back him, showing Asia, a key battleground, is not as united in its position as UEFA.

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Bangladesh, Morocco, Kuwait, UAE, Bhutan and Sri Lanka are other federations to issue statements of support. It is clear Infantino hasn’t lost much, if any, support in Africa.

The challenge for Infantino is even with these federations on side, UEFA now intend to bring FIFA into logistical and commercial gridlock, including a proposed Club World Cup boycott.

And Infantino must also deal with a divided leadership team, with several figures close to him wanting him to resign rather than faces months of instability.

Ceferin will hope by the time the Super Cup arrives, Infantino has already been persuaded to quit.

But those close to the Infantino are adamant it is not in his nature to stand down, and that his ability to pull off a 2026 World Cup that, as the FIFA President put it, ‘destroyed all records’ and needed ‘new words to define the success’ will keep a base of support – as will his ability to provide increased funding to member federations.

talkSPORT has contacted FIFA for comment.