FIFA confirms Gianni Infantino to stand for re-election as president

FIFA has confirmed Gianni Infantino is standing for re-election next year after the president declined Sky News questions on his future in the job, now insisting "nothing has changed".

Mr Infantino did stop to speak to external media on Saturday for the first time since the World Cup sell-off scandal erupted in July, while arriving at the Under-20s Women's World Cup opener in Katowice, Poland.

He only answered generally about his mission to grow football and the tournament, pledging "there will be a lot to say" beyond that but "it's not today".

Mr Infantino declined to answer further as he went in for kick-off of the opening game, minutes away.

Among follow-up questions to Mr Infantino, Sky News had been seeking answers on procedurally whether it was his intention to seek another term in the election scheduled for March or if he had considered resigning - as European body UEFA has led a campaign to force him out of office over the attempt to privatise the World Cup.

It created some uncertainty about his future plans but a FIFA spokesperson has now told Sky News: "The FIFA president announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election."

No rival candidate has emerged despite some FAs withdrawing support for Mr Infantino, with the deadline to secure the support of five FIFA member nations in November.

UEFA has collectively said it has lost confidence in Mr Infantino over a breach of trust for secretly negotiating selling shares in the World Cup to private investors.

The Asian and North American football leadership is now also opposed to Mr Infantino.

But Poland's FA leadership did promote welcoming Mr Infantino to the country this weekend.

The battle is moving to American courts, with FIFA fighting off what it calls a UEFA "smear campaign" trying to gain documents related from the scheme to use to launch potential criminal action against Mr Infantino in Switzerland for allegedly undervaluing the World Cup for his own financial benefit.

Mr Infantino has characterised the abandoned venture as being about trying to generate more cash for FAs.

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In response to a Sky News question on Saturday, he said: "There will be a lot to say, but there will be a right place and a right time to say this. It's not today, it's not here, but here and today, we are enjoying football.

"We are continuing at FIFA, of course, to work to give every corner of the world a chance, an opportunity, a dignity, to find ways and means for them to become better and to participate and to celebrate football, which we all love."

He was first elected in 2016 to replace the disgraced Sepp Blatter.

(c) Sky News 2026: FIFA confirms Gianni Infantino to stand for re-election as president