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European football leaders are exploring the possibility of persuading Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi to challenge FIFA president Gianni Infantino in next year’s presidential election, as opposition to FIFA’s proposed Forward Enterprise project continues to gather momentum.
According to The Telegraph, influential figures within European football believe the Qatari businessman is the strongest candidate capable of mounting a credible challenge to Infantino, whose controversial proposal to sell minority stakes in a new commercial subsidiary has sparked a deepening divide across global football.
The report said support for Al-Khelaifi has emerged as UEFA weighs a broader response to FIFA’s proposal, including discussions over a possible boycott of FIFA competitions if the initiative is approved by member associations.
Telegraph Sport reported that one senior football official said he would support “anyone” capable of removing Infantino from office, reflecting growing frustration over the FIFA president’s leadership and the commercial direction of the governing body.
However, Al-Khelaifi has publicly distanced himself from any suggestion that he intends to contest the FIFA presidency.
Responding to the speculation, a representative for the PSG president told The Telegraph: “Nasser has absolutely no ambition, no intention, no interest in the FIFA role, and he will continue to discreetly support all the institutions of world and European football.”
Al-Khelaifi is regarded as one of football’s most influential administrators. In addition to leading Paris Saint-Germain and Qatar Sports Investments, he serves as chairman of European Football Clubs (EFC), sits on UEFA’s Executive Committee, chairs beIN Media Group and has represented EFC at FIFA Council meetings since October 2025.
His influence across club football, broadcasting and international administration has led some European officials to view him as a figure capable of attracting support beyond UEFA’s 55 member associations.
The growing speculation comes as FIFA faces sustained criticism over its proposed Forward Enterprise initiative, which would establish a commercial subsidiary to manage the governing body’s flagship competitions, including the FIFA World Cup. FIFA plans to sell minority, non-controlling stakes in the subsidiary to long-term investors, with proceeds earmarked for expanding football development funding worldwide.
While FIFA maintains that the proposal would generate billions of dollars for member associations without compromising governance, several confederations and national associations have questioned the consultation process and warned against introducing private investment into football’s most valuable competitions.
European Football Clubs also expressed concern over the proposal, saying it learnt about the initiative through media reports rather than formal consultation.
In a statement quoted by The Telegraph, EFC said: “It would be wholly appropriate for EFC to be fully consulted on a proposal of such magnitude. EFC learned about this proposal in the same way as most global football stakeholders – without warning and through the media.”
The organisation called for “calm and thorough consultation” as well as “more rigorous and transparent governance processes” to safeguard football’s long-term stability and sustainability.
Despite growing opposition, removing a sitting FIFA president remains an enormous challenge. Any challenger would require the backing of a majority of FIFA’s 211 member associations, meaning support from UEFA alone would be insufficient.
The report noted that while Al-Khelaifi’s global influence and Middle Eastern background could broaden his appeal, his links to Qatar and the controversy surrounding the awarding of the 2022 FIFA World Cup could also present political obstacles should he ever decide to stand.
