Former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger is actively considering standing against Gianni Infantino in Fifa’s presidential election.
For weeks, senior figures across European football have been urging the 77-year-old Frenchman to launch a bid to unseat Infantino, and he is now giving the proposal serious thought ahead of the looming November 18th candidate declaration deadline.
Wenger, who has served as Fifa’s chief of global football development since November 2019, has faced questions over his age and whether he could provide long-term leadership for world football's governing body.
However, supporters of the potential candidacy have told BBC Sport they would be satisfied for him to win the election and serve as a transitional leader, potentially stepping down before completing a full four-year term.
Infantino’s position was plunged into turmoil earlier this year by widespread backlash from Uefa and member federations over the controversial "FIFA Forward Enterprise" plan, which aimed to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup to private investors. The project was subsequently abandoned, with Wenger publicly distancing himself from the initiative at the time.
Despite European unrest, unseating the incumbent remains a formidable challenge. Infantino retains deep-rooted backing across South America, Africa, and Asia, and recently maintained that he commands the support of the "vast, vast majority" of world football.
Sources close to Wenger insist no final decision has been made, but an announcement is anticipated within days as European stakeholders seek a unifying figure to contest the ballot.
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