LONDON (AP) 鈥� UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin says he won’t run against President Gianni Infantino but warned the that he must either quit or face a leadership challenge in March.
Infantino has come under increasing pressure to step down over his plan, now aborted, , the World Cup, to private equity investors. Three of the sport’s continental confederations accused him of 鈥渄eception鈥� and threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions.
鈥淥ne option is that he realizes that he doesn鈥檛 have the support, and that鈥檚 not only a political support of the ones who vote, but the political support of football community, the political support of fans, the political support of the players, former players, coaches,鈥� Ceferin said in an interview with 鈥淭he Rest is Politics: Leading鈥� British podcast which is set to be broadcast Monday.
鈥淎nd the second option is that he goes to the elections in March, but in that case, I think he will have a candidate against him. I don鈥檛 know yet who.鈥�
Ceferin’s comments were in excerpts from the podcast that were published Sunday in the British media.
November deadline
Infantino has been FIFA president since 2016 and, until the backlash over his proposals, seemed sure to be reelected unopposed next year in Morocco. FIFA has set a Nov. 18 deadline for challengers to nominate.
Despite being widely seen as a potential challenger to Infantino, the 58-year-old Ceferin expressed his commitment to UEFA.
Ceferin told the podcast: 鈥淚鈥檓 not interested because of two reasons. One reason is that I love UEFA and I love working here, and I think that at a certain point 鈥� it鈥檚 time to also enjoy life a bit.
鈥淎nd the second point is, my credibility is much, much higher if I鈥檓 not interested in the position.鈥�
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