FairSquare asks FIFA to reject Gianni Infantino’s bid for another presidential term, citing the organisation’s three-term limit.
Human rights organisation FairSquare has called on FIFA to prevent Gianni Infantino from contesting another presidential term, arguing that his first period in office should count toward the governing body’s three-term limit.
Infantino is expected to seek another mandate covering the 2027-31 cycle at FIFA’s Congress in Morocco on March 18. The potential re-election bid has drawn increased scrutiny as questions grow over the interpretation of FIFA’s presidential term rules.
Under FIFA statutes, a president can serve a maximum of three terms. Infantino was initially elected in 2016 after Sepp Blatter resigned. However, FIFA later determined that his first spell should not be counted as a full term because he completed an interrupted mandate.
FairSquare has challenged that interpretation in a submission to FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee. The organisation maintains that excluding Infantino’s initial period from the term limit conflicts with the governing body’s own regulations and could undermine the purpose of presidential term restrictions.
The rights group has also raised concerns about the transparency surrounding the 2022 decision. It argued that FIFA did not publicly explain the reasoning behind its interpretation and announced the decision shortly before the Qatar World Cup final.
The submission was prepared with assistance from Miguel Maduro, the former chairman of FIFA’s independent Governance and Review Committee. Maduro argued that term limits were a central part of FIFA’s 2016 governance reforms and were intended to prevent excessive concentration of power.
Infantino is also facing wider criticism over FIFA’s proposed plans to establish a $20 billion commercial subsidiary connected to major competitions, including the World Cup. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF have called for a review of his conduct in relation to the proposal.
Meanwhile, Scotland’s football federation has indicated it will not back Infantino’s re-election. Despite the opposition, he continues to receive support from the African and South American football confederations.
The dispute over FIFA term limits is expected to remain a major issue ahead of next year’s presidential election, potentially creating further pressure on Infantino’s plans for another term.