Veste, kakšne so možnosti, da Gianni Infantino ostane na čelu Fife?

Gianni Infantino appears poised to retain his position as president of FIFA, with official support from 99 percent of the organization’s 211 member national federations, according to The Guardian. This overwhelming backing suggests his re-election at the upcoming FIFA Congress in March is all but certain. Only a handful of federations have yet to formally endorse him, though they are expected to follow suit before the deadline for submitting candidacies on November 18. The German Football Association (DFB) stands out among the few remaining holdouts. While other federations have submitted their formal letters of support, the DFB has not done so, raising questions about its stance ahead of the critical deadline. However, there is no indication that the DFB will withdraw its support or redirect it to another candidate. The window for withdrawing endorsements or switching allegiance to a different nominee closes on November 18, but no alternative candidates have emerged to challenge Infantino. Infantino’s dominance in the race for FIFA presidency is underscored by the lack of any viable opposition. As of now, he is the sole declared candidate, eliminating the possibility of a competitive contest. This absence of rivals further solidifies his position, as the process of securing a new term typically requires a majority vote from the member associations. With such a large portion already committed to him, the path to re-election seems unimpeded. The timeline leading up to the March congress has been marked by procedural steps aimed at finalizing the voting process. National federations were required to submit their nominations by the end of October, and the final deadline for any changes, such as withdrawing support or endorsing another candidate, is set for November 18. This gives the remaining undecided federations ample time to make their decisions, though none have indicated any intention to act against Infantino’s candidacy. Infantino’s tenure as FIFA president has been defined by efforts to modernize the organization, including reforms to governance structures and initiatives to expand football’s global reach. His leadership has faced scrutiny over issues such as corruption allegations and controversies surrounding World Cup hosting bids, but these challenges have not derailed his political momentum within the federation. Despite the DFB's delay in officially endorsing Infantino, there is no evidence suggesting that this hesitation reflects broader dissatisfaction with his leadership. Most federations have already submitted their support, and the expectation is that the remaining ones will do so in due course. The DFB’s silence does not appear to signal a coordinated effort to oppose Infantino, nor has any alternative candidate stepped forward to fill the void. The upcoming FIFA Congress in March will serve as the formal platform for confirming Infantino’s re-election. At that point, the member associations will cast their votes, which are expected to overwhelmingly favor him given the current state of support. The outcome of the vote will determine whether Infantino continues his role as head of world football for another four-year term. With no credible challengers and near-unanimous backing from member nations, Gianni Infantino is likely to remain in power, continuing his influence over international football governance. The final confirmation will come during the March meeting, where the formal ratification of his second term is anticipated.