FairSquare, a London-based human rights organization, has formally asked FIFA’s Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee to declare Gianni Infantino ineligible for next year’s presidential election. Infantino remains the only declared candidate ahead of the March 2027 vote in Morocco. If he wins, his presidency would extend through 2031, marking what FairSquare argues would be an unlawful fourth term.
Infantino took charge in 2016 after Sepp Blatter resigned amid a corruption crisis. FIFA’s Council later ruled in 2022 that Infantino’s first three years did not count toward the organization’s three-term limit, since he had merely completed Blatter’s unfinished mandate. However, FairSquare’s August 13 letter to the Review Committee challenges that decision directly. Group director Nicholas McGeehan told Reuters the complaint shows a clear breach of FIFA’s own rules and warned it sets a troubling precedent for future leaders. Furthermore, the letter was prepared with input from Miguel Maduro, who previously headed FIFA’s independent Governance and Review Committee.
Term Limit Dispute Resurfaces
FairSquare’s letter argues that FIFA statutes make no allowance for discounting an incomplete term. The rules state plainly that a president may not serve more than three terms, without distinguishing between full and partial mandates or the type of congress that produced the election. Consequently, the group insists the 2022 exemption directly contradicts both the letter and the intent of FIFA’s own governance framework. Additionally, FairSquare noted that the committee never published its reasoning behind that ruling, timing its announcement just two days before the 2022 World Cup final.
Mounting Pressure on Infantino’s Leadership
Beyond the term-limit dispute, Infantino’s presidency has faced growing scrutiny. His backing of a FIFA Peace Prize for Donald Trump drew a separate ethics complaint from FairSquare, while a shelved plan to sell stakes in FIFA competitions to private investors further strained relations with member federations. Since the Governance Committee’s leadership has since changed, FairSquare believes today’s members must reconsider the 2022 ruling independently. Ultimately, the committee’s response will determine whether Infantino can stand for a fourth term or must step aside in 2027.
