November 9: Former Arsenal manager and FIFA world football boss Arsene Wenger is considering a bid for the FIFA presidency.
The Frenchman is considering throwing his hat in the running and is seen as a potential candidate for the unit due to his high profile within FIFA’s member associations. It is understood that he would be a one-term candidate.
So far, with the November 18 deadline for nominations, FIFA Council member and former Japan JFA boss Kohzo Tashima and Ramon Vega, a former Tottenham Hotspur player, have said they want to run against Infantino. Vega may not get the support of five member associations, which is necessary to run.
UEFA sources say Wenger is seen as a serious candidate, but not necessarily the favourite. UEFA and several European officials maintain they will field a strong and credible candidate to challenge incumbent Infantino, who sparked FIFA’s biggest governance crisis since 2015 by trying to sell the World Cup.
With a strong knowledge of football and a good understanding of FIFA, Wenger has the credentials to manage, although as club manager at Arsenal he was one of the Premier League’s most outspoken critics of the international schedule and its impact on club football and player workloads.
Wenger became FIFA’s global head of football in 2019 and has since dedicated himself to the organisation’s mission statement of developing the game around the world. He was recently present at the FIFA U-15 World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Wenger previously said he was unaware of Infantino’s World Cup investor plans, claiming he was “not involved” and had first learned of the plans through news reports.
Wenger said: “The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and without question, because I strongly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our game with commitment, transparency and integrity.”
FIFA will hold a presidential election at next year’s annual congress in Rabat, Morocco, in March.
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