New FIFA presidential candidate emerges as pressure grows on Gianni Infantino

Victor Montagliani is emerging as a serious contender to rival Gianni Infantino at the next FIFA presidential election, talkSPORT understands.

The potential for the Canadian to become the new FIFA president was exclusively revealed on talkSPORT during the World Cup.

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CONCACAF president Montagliani wants to be the top chief at FIFA president one day, as talkSPORT revealed earlier this month, and is now considering whether to put his name forward ahead of the November 18 deadline.

Sources close to the 60-year-old have argued his immediate focus is on being re-elected as CONCACAF president, but it is common knowledge the Canadian has aspirations to be FIFA president one day.

He is now toying with either going head to head with Infantino or pushing for the FIFA president to quit, giving him a more open path.

Sources believe CONCACAF’s emphatic rejection of Infantino’s plans to sell a stake of FIFA to private investors was in part tactical to align with UEFA and potentially secure votes in the long-run.

It means 96 Member Federations, 41 from CONCACAF and 55 from UEFA, are all against Infantino, and could even block vote against him in the presidential election if a viable candidate emerges.

World Cup chaos

Infantino had already faced scrutiny following the conclusion of the World Cup, including concerns over his relationship with US president Donald Trump, before his controversial plans were revealed.

The FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal would see the football governing body’s commercial and operational arms merge as part of an organisation funded by private equity.

All 211 Member Associations were given a $40million (£30m) payment incentive by Infantino to back the project by September 19.

However, there has been stiff opposition to the plans from UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC, and some of Infantino’s closest allies at FIFA are understood to also be opposed.

Carlos Cordeiro, the president’s senior adviser, has even quit his role in protest of the proposed sale of World Cup stakes.

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It is clear UEFA would welcome a challenger to Infantino if he insists on standing even if FFE fails.

UEFA federations would also welcome Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi standing, but sources close to the Qatari businessman insist he has ‘no ambition’ to do so.

UEFA President Alexander Ceferin would be the most qualified name, but the Slovenian lawyer is understood to be willing to continue in his current role as UEFA President next Spring.

He had initially ruled out standing for a third full term until 2031, but is now willing to seek re-election if no other candidates step forward.

Ceferin is not looking to go head-to-head with Infantino despite clashing on issues on a number of occasions.

talkSPORT also understands senior officials within Bosnian, Norwegian, Swedish, German and Spanish football have all discussed backing other European candidates, including Legia owner Dariusz Mioduski.

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Should Al-Khelaifi choose not to stand, which is the current expectation, Poland would favour Mioduski as well.

Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe is another name intent on being FIFA president one day.

The South African administrator is highly unlikely to go head-to-head with close ally Infantino, instead preferring to wait until 2031 in the hope of getting an endorsement during an election Infantino can’t stand again in.

When do nominations to be the next FIFA president close?

And there appears to be no appetite to table a vote of no confidence against Infantino either despite it being toyed with at the last FIFA Congress. 

Most federations will simply view the election itself as a vote of confidence, which is why a growing number of UEFA members are hoping to back another candidate to avoid Infantino winning a new term without a genuine debate.

Nominations for the next FIFA presidential election can be made up until November 18 with the election taking place on November 18 in Rabat, Morocco.