Fifa’s controversial president Gianni Infantino looks “increasingly likely” to be re-elected unopposed for a fourth and final term, but there could be a “sensational twist”, said Dan Roan on the BBC.
Senior figures within European football want former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger to run as a “surprise candidate”. But would Wenger, currently head of global development at the governing body, “really challenge his own boss”?
‘Break the chain’
“At first glance”, the Frenchman “looks an unlikely figure to stir a revolution from within”, said Oliver Brown in The Telegraph. He turned 77 this week so “he would not exactly represent fresh blood”, but he “could fundamentally change an ossified bureaucracy that has produced just three presidents in 52 years”.
Infantino is a divisive figure. Critics accuse him of prioritising money and political relationships over human rights, sports integrity and the welfare of players.
The role of president of world football’s governing body has been “debased” and “mired in the machinations of keeping power by whatever means necessary”. But Wenger – “a true football obsessive” – would “break the chain”. He’s “seldom come across as financially motivated” and he could “snatch Infantino’s core vote” in Africa. “So please, Arsène, in the name of sanity, declare your candidacy now.”
Any hopefuls may be planning to “keep their identity under wraps until the last minute to catch Infantino and his acolytes off guard”, said Alyson Rudd in The Times.
The “smart money” is on Wenger. He “commands global respect and was quick to distance himself” from FFE – Infantino’s deeply unpopular plan to sell-off some of the commercial rights to Fifa competitions to a private investment firm – “despite being part of the Fifa family”. He has “universal appeal” after his success in Japan and is popular in Africa having “supported the growth of the game on the continent”.
But he may “value working from within Fifa as it stands, rather than risk being sidelined” and “ending his footballing life as a loser”. There would be “something particularly galling about coming second to a character who was prepared to sell the soul of the beautiful game, is partial to private jets” and “openly fawns over” Donald Trump.
‘Intriguing prospect’
In Zurich, where Fifa is based, there’s “no indication” that Wenger, who joined Infantino and others for dinner last week, is “plotting a bid”, said Roan.
But a “large number of Fifa’s staff” want Wenger to run and they “believe he could change the organisation’s image”, so “it is an intriguing prospect”.
Wenger hasn’t commented on the speculation. Any reluctance to stand on his part “probably comes from the fact you cannot risk losing to Infantino”, said John Cross in the Daily Mirror.
The president “looked damaged beyond repair after the summer but has gone round the world on a charm offensive – and it appears to have worked, outside of Uefa of course”.
The Italian received a further boost after a “major U-turn” from the head of the Asian Football Confederation, who had previously signed a joint letter with other federations criticising Infantino over his FFE plan. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa told the AFC Congress in Tokyo – which Infantino attended – that “we reaffirm our full commitment, of course, to supporting you as you seek a new mandate as president”.
The deadline for candidates is 18 November so all eyes in the meantime will be on Wenger.
Speculation is growing that Frenchman might try to unseat controversial Fifa president