French President Emmanuel Macron is reported to be leading an international effort to persuade former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to stand against Gianni Infantino in the next FIFA presidential election.
According to German newspaper Bild, Macron has promised Wenger his full backing if he decides to enter the race. He has also offered to seek support from other heads of state and government for Wenger’s candidacy, potentially giving the election an unusually political dimension.
The deadline for submitting nominations is 18 November, with Wenger expected to announce his decision this week. The FIFA presidential election will take place in March 2027, when Infantino will seek another term in office.
Wenger, widely respected across football, could provide the strongest challenge yet to Infantino. The former Arsenal manager is also understood to have influential political support from the Elysee Palace.
The possible contest would carry an added irony. Infantino brought Wenger to FIFA in 2019, after the Frenchman had spent more than 20 years managing Arsenal before ending his coaching career in 2018. Wenger subsequently became FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development and one of the organisation’s most prominent figures.
Relations between the two men have become strained in recent months. During the summer, Wenger publicly criticised Infantino’s controversial plan to attract private-sector investors to FIFA, warning that it could alter football’s identity and place the game under greater financial influence.
Wenger has also played a significant role in FIFA’s discussions over the future of international football. He was among the leading supporters of holding the World Cup every two years and proposed staging the European Championship in odd-numbered years as part of a wider plan to restructure the international calendar.
That proposal met strong opposition from UEFA, FIFPRO and the association representing European leagues and clubs. They criticised the congestion in the competition schedule and the pressure placed on players, and the project was abandoned in 2021.
Despite those disagreements, Wenger supported the decision to establish an expanded FIFA Club World Cup and backed Infantino’s plan to increase the World Cup to 48 teams. His positions have reflected an attempt to combine reform of the sport with political pragmatism within FIFA.
Wenger’s contract with FIFA expires at the end of this year. It remains unclear whether it would be renewed if he chose to campaign for the presidency, adding further uncertainty to the situation.
Should he stand, Wenger would face a difficult challenge. Infantino has an extensive network of relationships across the continental confederations, while Wenger would rely on his reputation, long experience and French political support to influence the result.
