CONCACAF

Gianni Infantino’s chances of being re-elected as Fifa president appear to have been given a major boost with potential rival Victor Montagliani set to remain as head of Concacaf.

The Canadian, 61, was widely seen as a possible candidate after Infantino’s failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors sparked a global backlash.

However, Montagliani never confirmed he wanted to challenge Infantino, and according to sources, he has now told colleagues that he will instead seek a final term as head of the confederation which governs North and Central America and the Caribbean.

As first reported by the Guardian, it means he will not stand against Infantino, 56, who is seeking a fourth term in March’s presidential election.

The rebellion against him, spearheaded by European governing body Uefa, must now try to identify a unifying candidate by the deadline of 18 November.

Meanwhile, Aleksander Ceferin will stand for a fourth term as Uefa president.

Ceferin informed delegates of his decision at a meeting of all 55 national association chiefs in Berlin.

Uefa also reaffirmed its opposition to Infantino as it published a 14-point plan to reform world football’s governing body.

Ceferin’s move had been widely anticipated and reverses his insistence he would not seek re-election, which the Slovenian outlined in February 2024.

At that point Ceferin, who was initially elected in 2016, was embroiled in a row over Uefa changing its statutes to allow him to serve for a fourth term.

However, there had been a growing expectation the 58-year-old would stand.

This has only been made more likely since Uefa launched its efforts to oust Infantino, who scrapped his sell-off plan following widespread opposition.

“I want to thank the national associations for their trust,” Ceferin said.

“We have faced extraordinary challenges over the past years, and we have faced them as one team. There is still important work ahead, and I have therefore accepted their request.

“My ambition remains the same: to keep European football united, make our game stronger and leave Uefa ready for the next generation.”

Ceferin has ruled out standing against Infantino himself but is committed to finding a candidate around which the game can unite in March’s FIfa election.

Uefa and Concacaf have written to Gianni Infantino calling on Fifa to pay at least $10m (£7.5m) from its cash reserves to each of the 211 member associations.

It is the latest chapter in the war of words between the governing bodies, in response to Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s aborted private equity proposal.

Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights of all competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to an investment company.

The idea was scrapped after four days following widespread opposition from national associations.

The letter, seen by BBC Sport, was signed by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and his Concacaf counterpart Victor Montagliani.

It outlines that “Fifa is on course to close 2023-26 with reserves of approximately $6bn (£4.5bn)” which is “considerably more than is required” through to the 2030 men’s World Cup.

It said that Fifa should “make at least $10m available to each of its 211 member associations over the 2027-30 cycle” which should be used “for investment in infrastructure and football development”.

This “one-off release of reserves” would come at a cost of $2.11bn (£1.57bn), and would be in addition to the regular funding in the cycle.

When the controversial plan was revealed in the days following the World Cup final, Infantino told members they would receive $40m (£30m) if they backed it.

Infantino set a deadline of 19 September for federations to accept his plans if they want to access an initial $20m (£15m).

In the letter, Ceferin and Montagliani said analysis carried out on Fifa’s published financial statements and budgets raised doubts that the FFE proposal was “necessary to deliver greater resources”.

It added that the analysis was “deliberately conservative” and a larger distribution from the reserves should be considered by the Fifa Council once the financial position at year-end is known.

An “independent review” of Fifa’s finances should be commissioned, it added, with “full access to the underlying figures and assumptions”.

“Fifa currently holds billions of dollars in accumulated reserves,” it read. “These resources belong to football and exist to serve the game and its 211 member associations.

“Prudence should not prevent a careful examination of whether a portion could responsibly be released to the extent those reserves exceed Fifa’s foreseeable needs.

“Releasing part of these reserves would demonstrate that member associations should not have to choose between development and good governance; between investment and integrity; or between financial support and the ability to consider proposals on their merits.

“Development is an institutional responsibility of Fifa – not a matter of individual discretion.”

Another letter, also seen by BBC Sport, has been sent to the presidents of the other confederations – Asia, Africa, South America and Oceania – asking them to support the motion.

The news comes a day after Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt sent a letter to Infantino and Fifa secretary general Mattias Grafstrom demanding that all documents relating to the controversial FFE plan were released.

Hewitt, a Fifa vice-president, said that the Fifa Council should also receive a written explanation for the cancelled suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun at the World Cup.

Infantino was told he should make all documents available before the next Fifa Council meeting, which is on 15 October.

Infantino, 56, will stand for election for a fourth time in March, with his opponents having until 18 November to find an alternative candidate.