Aleksander Ceferin has sharply escalated his criticism of Gianni Infantino, saying the Fifa president’s shelved World Cup stake plan was “even worse than the Super League plan” and warning that Infantino could face a challenger if he runs for re-election next March.
Ceferin says the plan has failed
Ceferin, the Uefa president, said he was “absolutely sure” the Fifa Forward Enterprise plan is dead after it was shelved at the start of August amid widespread opposition. He added that the idea was another attempt to “sell the sport,” and said the World Cup plan was more damaging than the breakaway Super League project that was shelved in 2021 after large-scale protests.
The comments matter because they go beyond a simple policy dispute. Ceferin is framing the issue as one of credibility and governance, with the World Cup plan becoming a flashpoint in the wider battle over who controls the direction of global football.
What happens if Infantino runs again
Ceferin said he and Infantino have not been in contact since the FFE scandal broke. He also laid out two possibilities: either Infantino realizes he does not have the support — not just from voting members, but from the broader football community, including fans, players, former players and coaches — or he runs in March and faces an opponent.
“I don’t know yet who,” Ceferin said of a possible challenger, but the message was clear: the next Fifa presidential election may not be a routine affair. That is a notable warning given the scale of Infantino’s influence and the political importance of the vote.
Broader political backdrop
Ceferin’s remarks also landed against a busy diplomatic backdrop. Earlier this month, it was reported that Infantino had held talks about running the Super League under Fifa branding, and last weekend he courted support from Concacaf members at a meeting in the Dominican Republic.
At the same time, Uefa has led the collective opposition to the Fifa Forward Enterprise scheme, while Uefa and Concacaf are talking about setting up a combined Nations League tournament. Ceferin said the pair had not been in contact since the FFE controversy began, underscoring how the dispute has strained relationships at the top of the game.
Ceferin is expected to run unopposed for a fourth term at Uefa next April, which only sharpens the contrast with the uncertainty around Infantino’s next move. For now, the Fifa president still has options. But after this latest criticism, the political cost of his World Cup stake plan appears to be rising quickly.
