Five candidates emerge for FIFA presidency ahead of March congress

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Five potential candidates have emerged for the FIFA presidency ahead of the governing body's congress in Morocco in March, as criticism of current president Gianni Infantino complicates his plans to extend his tenure. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has positioned himself as an alternative, arguing that FIFA leadership terms should be shortened. Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is also being discussed as a possible candidate, citing his roles on the European Club Association board and UEFA's executive committee, though he has said he has not considered running. FIFA Secretary General Matthias Grafström, long seen as close to Infantino, is reportedly prepared to enter the race should a change in leadership become possible. CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani, who has led the North and Central American and Caribbean confederation since 2016, has been one of the sharpest critics of Infantino's investment plans. Asian Football Confederation president Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, who challenged Infantino for the presidency in 2016, is viewed as a possible Arab candidate should a contest materialize.