# FIFA presidential succession contest > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/fifa-presidential-succession-contest > Updated: 2026-08-24T06:35:51.000Z. Sources: 35. Developments: 3. In early August 2026, Norwegian football administrator Lise Klaveness was highlighted as a leading contender to replace Gianni Infantino as FIFA president. She received public praise from former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter and support from several European football associations, amid criticism of Infantino’s withdrawn proposal to sell World Cup commercial rights. Two days later, UEFA shifted its focus to Qatari club owner Nasser Al‑Khelaifi, promoting him as its preferred candidate. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin rallied European federations behind Al‑Khelaifi, while Spain’s La Liga president Javier Tebas dismissed him as unsuitable for the European football model. By late August, Aleksander Ceferin officially ruled out a candidacy for the FIFA presidency in the March 2027 elections, stating he ‘loves UEFA’ and wishes to ‘enjoy life.’ Speaking on the podcast ‘The Rest is Politics,’ Ceferin noted that his credibility as an opponent of Infantino is higher if he does not seek the position himself. He warned that Infantino must either recognize a lack of support from the football community or face a challenger at the FIFA Congress in Morocco. Potential contenders mentioned include CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa. The leadership crisis follows the collapse of a plan to sell commercial stakes in major competitions through a new entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise. This proposal drew backlash from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC, with UEFA even threatening to boycott FIFA events. Additionally, prominent footballers, including Mikael Silvestre and Emmanuel Petit, issued a statement calling for structural change, alleging leadership has drifted from the sport’s core values. ## Claims - UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out of the FIFA presidential race for March 2027. (corroborated by 13 sources) - Ceferin predicts Gianni Infantino will face an opponent if he seeks re-election in March 2027. (corroborated by 6 sources) - A group of current and former footballers issued a statement calling for structural change at FIFA. (corroborated by 4 sources) - CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is cited as a potential candidate to challenge Infantino in 2027. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Gianni Infantino abandoned a plan to sell a 20-21 percent stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise to private investors. (corroborated by 3 sources) - UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA competitions following the proposal to sell commercial stakes to private investors. (corroborated by 2 sources) - Hungarian Football Federation president Sandor Csanyi withdrew support from Gianni Infantino. (single source) - FIFA will host its first U15 World Cup in Azerbaijan between October 22 and 31, 2026. (single source) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-24: Aleksander Ceferin rules out FIFA presidency bid UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has ruled himself out of the 2027 FIFA presidential race, warning that Gianni Infantino faces a major leadership challenge following a crisis over private investment plans. 28 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/aleksander-ceferin-will-not-run-for-fifa-presidency ### 2026-08-06: UEFA backs Nasser Al‑Khelaifi to challenge FIFA president Gianni Infantino UEFA is promoting PSG chief Nasser Al‑Khelaifi as a successor to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, while La Liga leader Javier Tebas warns Al‑Khelaifi would be a poor fit for the role. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/uefa-backs-nasser-alkhelaifi-to-challenge-fifa-president-gianni-infantino ### 2026-08-04: Lise Klaveness Touted as FIFA President Candidate Lise Klaveness, Norway’s football chief, is being touted as a top FIFA president candidate, endorsed by ex‑president Sepp Blatter amid criticism of Gianni Infantino’s World Cup plans. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lise-klaveness-touted-as-fifa-president-candidate --- Cite as: FIFA presidential succession contest. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/fifa-presidential-succession-contest