UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin has warned Gianni Infantino that he could face an opponent if he seeks another term as FIFA president next March.
Ceferin has also launched a strong attack on Infantino’s failed plan to sell stakes in parts of the World Cup.
He described the project as worse than the proposed European Super League. He said the Super League was wrong, but the FIFA plan would have put football itself at risk.
The FIFA Forward Enterprise plan was shelved in early August after strong opposition from football groups.
UEFA has taken a leading role in the resistance. It has also gained support from football leaders in North America and Asia.
Ceferin said he was confident that the plan was now dead. He argued that football should not be treated as an asset that can be sold to private owners.
The dispute has caused a major split between Ceferin and Infantino. Ceferin said the two men have not spoken since the controversy began.
He believes Infantino now faces a difficult path if he wants to remain FIFA president.
Ceferin said Infantino has two choices. He could accept that he no longer has enough support within the football community, or he could run in the election and face another candidate.
The UEFA president did not name a possible rival. However, Victor Montagliani, the president of the North and Central American football body, has been mentioned as a possible challenger.
Ceferin also rejected any suggestion that he could run against Infantino himself.
He said his position is stronger because he is not seeking the FIFA presidency. Ceferin is expected to seek another term as UEFA president next April.
The FIFA election is scheduled for March in Rabat, Morocco.
The latest dispute comes after several disagreements between UEFA and FIFA.
Ceferin also criticized reports that Infantino had discussed bringing the European Super League under the FIFA name.
He said a revival of the Super League was unlikely in the near future. He suggested that such a plan could take many years to return.
The original Super League proposal collapsed in 2021 after strong protests from supporters and opposition from football authorities.
Ceferin said the current FIFA plan was more serious because it could have changed the ownership structure of football.
He also questioned Infantino’s close relationship with US President Donald Trump.
Ceferin said football leaders should be careful when dealing with politicians. He argued that political friendships can change quickly when interests no longer match.
Their relationship came under further attention during the World Cup.
Trump had contacted Infantino about a red card given to US striker Folarin Balogun. The player’s suspension for a later match was eventually put on hold.
Ceferin strongly criticized the incident. He said football rules must apply equally and that officials should not interfere with disciplinary decisions.
He described the situation as shocking and said many people in football were concerned about it.
Opposition to Infantino has also grown in northern Europe.
Six Nordic football associations issued a joint statement saying they had lost confidence in the FIFA president.
They also raised concerns about the way major decisions are made within FIFA.
The associations called for clear guarantees that FIFA would never again open its competitions or governance to private ownership.
They also called for an independent review of the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise plan.
The Norwegian football association had already called for Infantino to resign earlier this month.
The growing criticism puts more pressure on Infantino ahead of the FIFA election.
Despite the opposition, Infantino continues to seek support from football leaders around the world.
He spent part of the weekend meeting members of the North and Central American football group in the Dominican Republic.
The meetings reportedly caused frustration among some attendees. Infantino then traveled to Paris, where he attended the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup.
He was also seen greeting French President Emmanuel Macron.
The FIFA president now faces a growing challenge from several parts of the football community.
With the election approaching, the dispute over football ownership, governance and political influence could play a major role in deciding Infantino’s future.
