Gianni Infantino's bid to remain at the helm of world football's governing body has run into fresh controversy after human rights organisation FairSquare argued he should be barred from standing for re-election, claiming he has already exhausted the three-term limit set out in Fifa's own statutes.
According to Fifa rules, presidents may serve a maximum of three terms. Infantino, however, first took charge in 2016 at an Extraordinary Congress convened after Sepp Blatter's resignation. In 2022, Fifa determined that this initial stint should not be counted toward his term total, reasoning that it merely completed the remainder of an interrupted mandate rather than constituting a full term in its own right.
FairSquare has now formally disputed that interpretation in a letter submitted to Fifa's Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC), a document first reported by The Athletic. The organisation argues the ruling contradicts the plain wording of Fifa's governing documents.
"The complaint we have filed provides clear evidence that this is a clear breach of the rules and one that sets a very dangerous precedent," FairSquare director Nicholas McGeehan told Reuters. He added that Fifa cannot simply exempt Infantino's first term from the count, since the three-term cap exists specifically as a safeguard against the concentration of presidential power.
FairSquare also raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the 2022 decision, pointing out that the GACC never made public the reasoning behind its conclusion. McGeehan suggested the timing of the announcement — made public just two days before the World Cup final in Qatar — indicated that officials were aware their justification lacked a solid legal foundation and sought to minimise scrutiny.
The complaint was drawn up in collaboration with Miguel Maduro, who previously chaired Fifa's now-defunct independent Governance and Review Committee. Maduro stressed that term limits were central to the reform package Fifa adopted in 2016 in the wake of its corruption scandals, and warned against efforts to sidestep them. "The principle of term limits was a fundamental aspect of the 2016 reform aimed at limiting power and the rule introduced is clear: no FIFA President can serve more than three terms of office," he said. "Trying to carve out an exception to such a rule for Mr Infantino reveals both a resistance to the principle of term limits and how some at Fifa conceive of rules not as rules but as obstacles to be circumvented."
The dispute arrives at a delicate moment for Infantino, who is expected to seek another term covering 2027 to 2031 at Fifa's Congress in Morocco on 18 March. Pressure on his leadership has been building on multiple fronts. Last week, Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf jointly requested a formal review of his conduct, following Fifa's proposal to launch a $20-billion commercial subsidiary tied to its competitions, including the World Cup, designed to draw in private investment. Sources familiar with the matter said the three confederations viewed their letter as a signal that Infantino could still exit the role without damaging his reputation.
Opposition has also emerged at the national level. Scottish Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell said this week that his organisation would not back Infantino's re-election bid.
Despite the growing criticism, Infantino continues to enjoy the support of the South American and African confederations. Fifa has yet to respond publicly to the latest challenge from FairSquare.
Based on reporting from The Independent.