FIFA president Infantino will stand for re-election

FIFA president Gianni Infantino will stand for re-election in March, says football's world governing body

Infantino, who has filled the role since 2016, has been under pressure following his scrapped plan to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investment firms. Infantino's lucrative plan sparked a global outcry, with European football's governing body UEFA threatening to boycott all Fifa competitions, including the World Cup.

"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," read a FIFA statement.

Infantino refused to answer questions about his future when asked by reporters at the Women's Under-20 World Cup in Poland on Saturday. It is the first time FIFA has said he will run for a new term since the plan was announced following the summer's World Cup.

Should the 56-year-old Swiss be re-elected, he will serve until 2031. FIFA this week accused UEFA of a "smear campaign against it and its leadership", in a challenge to litigation over Infantino's plan.

Last week UEFA filed legal papers in the US requesting disclosure of evidence and documents from Fifa, warning it could lodge a criminal complaint in Switzerland. As recently as mid-July Infantino was considered a certainty to be re-elected.

All but a handful of FIFA members had endorsed him, and he faced no meaningful challenge. However, the Football Associations of England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland are among those to have publicly withdrawn support since Infantino's plan was announced.

UEFA are confident that a candidate can be found to stand against Infantino. A candidate must receive the backing of at least 106 of the 211 FIFA member associations. UEFA has abandoned the idea of trying to force a vote of no confidence.

It would require three-quarters of the members - 159 votes - to pass the motion through a change of FIFA statutes, which is considered unrealistic. No candidates to challenge Infantino have been named, although CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is considered a serious option. Nominations must be submitted by 18 November.