How Do FIFA Presidential Elections Work?

A whirlwind few months have left FIFA president Gianni Infantino on the precipice.

After overseeing a World Cup fraught with controversies, the 56-year-old poured gasoline on a growing dumpster fire by attempting to push through plans to sell stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors. Unsurprisingly, his scheme was wildly unpopular and FIFA ultimately backtracked following backlash from its member nations.

Now, Infantino faces a fight to maintain his presidency. He appeared set to saunter to a third and final term after announcing his candidacy for next year’s elections, but confidence in his leadership has rapidly eroded. FIFA called an emergency meeting scheduled for Aug. 5 to deal with the emerging issues.

Having been lambasted by Europe’s governing body UEFA and lost mass support from previous backers elsewhere in the world, Infantino is now under enormous pressure.

Here’s a breakdown of what challenges he faces as he scrambles for re-election.

When Is the Next FIFA Presidential Election?

The spotlight has been shone on FIFA recently. | Robert Hradil/Getty Images

FIFA presidential elections are held every four years and the next will be staged at the FIFA Congress in Morocco on March 17, 2027.

A decade ago, the rules were changed to ensure presidents could only serve three terms spanning 12 years. The amendment was made after Sepp Blatter was ousted following corruption allegations in 2016, after which Infantino took charge. If he’s re-elected next March, Infantino will manage 15 years as president, owing to the fact his first three years on the job were not considered a full term.

The FIFA Congress after a World Cup campaign is always used to hold the election, with the most recent in 2019 and 2023 after tournaments in Brazil and Qatar. Infantino won both elections after running unopposed.

The Swiss-born chief is only the ninth different FIFA president. Robert Guérin was the first after taking office all the way back in 1904.

How Do FIFA Presidential Elections Work?

While Infantino ran unopposed during the previous two elections, he will face competition next March. That significantly complicates the process for the reigning president.

The election is won by a candidate based on the backing of individual member nations, of which there are a grand total of 211 across the world. Every member nation holds the same weight in the vote, no matter their size or stature, and can only support one candidate per election.

To run for office, candidates must have “played an active role in association football” for at least two years and be deemed eligible for the presidency by a FIFA committee. Crucially, they must also have the backing of at least five associations before the election campaign deadline, which is Nov. 18 this year.

If just two candidates are competing for the presidency, then over 50% of the vote is required to win. That means the backing of at least 106 member nations.

However, if there are three or more candidates, preliminary rounds are required to reduce the number to just two.

Member Nations By Confederation

Confederation	Member Nations
UEFA	55
CAF	54
AFC	46
Concacaf	35
OFC	11
CONMEBOL	10

Will Infantino Win the 2027 FIFA Presidential Election?

FIFA president Gianni Infantino. — Time might be running out for Infantino. | DANIEL DUARTE/AFP/Getty Images

There are no longer any guarantees over Infantino’s re-election.

UEFA’s public criticism of Infantino, alongside the withdrawal of support from an array of members such as England and Wales, cast doubt over his future. However, it remains to be seen how the European nations will vote when push comes to shove.

The AFC and Concacaf have also voiced their opposition to Infantino’s privatization proposals, potentially leading to their members pivoting to a different presidential candidate. Again, however, stances can easily change between now and next year’s FIFA Congress.

Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is reportedly eager to challenge Infantino, as per The Athletic, and other candidates could emerge in the coming weeks and months.

Of course, there is the possibility that next March’s election is brought forward, but only on two conditions; one is if the majority of the FIFA Council’s 37 members withdraw their backing for Infantino, while the other is if a fifth of all member associations (43 or more) request an election.

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