Arsene Wenger has turned down a request from UEFA to stand against Gianni Infantino in the election for the FIFA presidency.
The 77-year-old Frenchman had emerged as a potential candidate to unseat the controversial incumbent at the election scheduled for March. However, after consultations with senior figures in football, Wenger has withdrawn from consideration, according to The Times.
His decision represents a significant setback for UEFA, which had spent several months looking for a challenger with enough international credibility to mount a serious contest against Infantino.
Wenger is regarded as one of the few figures who could have provided that challenge. However, prominent people within FIFA are understood to have encouraged him not to enter the race, with the former Arsenal manager ultimately deciding against opposing the man who appointed him to his current role.
Wenger has been FIFA’s chief of global football development since 2019, having ended his exceptional 22-year spell with Arsenal the previous year.
The decision comes amid growing tension between UEFA and Infantino over a controversial proposal to sell commercial stakes in future editions of the World Cup to private investors.
The project, known as the FIFA Forward Foundation, prompted widespread opposition from football authorities around the world before it was eventually abandoned. Wenger publicly distanced himself from the plans, saying he had only learned about them through media reports, and welcomed the decision to drop them.
Infantino, 56, has been FIFA president since 2016 and has secured substantial backing from football organisations in Africa and Asia, strengthening his position ahead of the election.
Japanese football official Kozo Tashima has already announced his intention to challenge Infantino. UEFA can still seek another candidate before the nomination deadline on Wednesday.
Any candidate wishing to stand must receive the support of at least five national football associations. The election will take place on 18 March in Rabat, the capital of Morocco.
Wenger remains one of football’s most respected figures after leading Arsenal to three Premier League titles and seven FA Cup triumphs.
His long tenure at Arsenal established him as one of the defining managers in English football, but he has not sought elected office within the game since moving into his FIFA development role.
