A coalition led by Uefa is reportedly examining proposals to overhaul the structure of the Fifa presidency, drawing inspiration from the rotating leadership model used by the European Union, as tensions with incumbent president Gianni Infantino continue to escalate.
The football world remains embroiled in a prolonged power struggle that originated from disputes over the Fifa Forward Enterprise plan. What began as disagreements over that initiative has since developed into a broader, sustained effort by some of the game's most influential figures to remove Infantino from office. With the Swiss-Italian official showing no signs of stepping aside, Uefa and its allies have reportedly begun preparing contingency plans for a future without him at the helm.
This week's Uefa Super Cup in Salzburg provided a rare opportunity for football's leadership to convene face-to-face for the first time as a collective since the governance crisis at Fifa intensified. Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin used the occasion to hold a series of meetings with other key stakeholders in the sport. Notably present was Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football, whose involvement carries particular weight given that Caf had previously been counted among Infantino's supporters. His apparent engagement with the Uefa-led discussions is seen by observers as a meaningful shift in the political landscape surrounding Fifa's leadership.
Among the topics reportedly raised during the Salzburg talks were proposals for an independent review into Fifa's governance structures, alongside efforts to draft a formal policy document that would set out a new vision for the organization's future framework and guiding principles.
Crucially, sources suggest that the scope of these reform discussions is deliberately confined to Fifa itself, rather than extending to the continental confederations that make up the global governing body. This distinction is considered significant, as it aligns with the central proposal under consideration: rotating the Fifa presidency among the various continental confederations, in a manner similar to how leadership positions function within the European Union and other multinational organizations.
Such a system would represent a fundamental shift in how Fifa is governed. If implemented, it would prevent any future president from accumulating the same degree of authority that Infantino — or his predecessors — have wielded during their tenures. The rotation model is designed specifically to disperse power more evenly across the confederations rather than concentrating it in a single individual.
Alongside the rotation proposal, plans are also said to include a significant strengthening of the administrative structures that support the presidency. The intention would be to build a more robust, professional bureaucracy — functioning much like a civil service — that could provide continuity and institutional stability regardless of who holds the top office at any given time.
For Uefa and its allied confederations, the push for new leadership and reformed governance at Fifa is being characterized as the essential starting point in resolving the ongoing crisis. While the exact timeline and mechanics of any transition remain unclear, the discussions in Salzburg indicate that opposition to Infantino's continued leadership has moved beyond rhetoric into concrete institutional planning.
The developments suggest that football's governing bodies are bracing for a prolonged battle over the future direction of the sport's global administration, with the outcome likely to shape how power is distributed within Fifa for years to come.
Based on reporting from The Independent.