MOROCCO — FairSquare has formally challenged Gianni Infantino's eligibility to seek a fourth term as FIFA president by submitting a complaint to the organization's Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee. The human rights group argues that Infantino's re-election would violate FIFA statutes limiting presidents to three terms in office.

The complaint we have filed provides clear evidence that this is a clear breach of the rules and one that sets a very dangerous precedent, Nicholas McGeehan, director of FairSquare, said. The rules state clearly that three presidential terms is the maximum allowed; FIFA can't simply circumvent this rule – which serves as a check on presidential power – by saying that his first term doesn't count.

The dispute centers on Infantino's first term, which began in 2016 following Sepp Blatter's resignation. In December 2022, the FIFA Council unanimously confirmed a decision by the Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee to exclude Infantino's 2016–2019 term from term limit calculations. The council cited an 'interrupted mandate' despite no statutory basis for such an exception.

FairSquare questioned the transparency of that ruling, stating the committee's reasoning had never been made public. The fact they didn't provide any reasoning to support this claim, and that they announced the apparent decision two days before the final of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, suggests that they knew full well that there was no basis to discount Infantino's first term, McGeehan said.

The letter to the GACC was drafted with assistance from Miguel Maduro, the former head of FIFA's independent Governance and Review Committee. The principle of term limits was a fundamental aspect of the 2016 reform aimed at limiting power and the rule introduced is clear: no FIFA president can serve more than three terms of office, Maduro said. Trying to carve out an exception to such a rule for Mr Infantino reveals both a resistance to the principle of term limits and how some at FIFA conceive of rules not as rules but as obstacles to be circumvented.

UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF called for a review of Infantino's conduct after FIFA proposed creating a $20bn subsidiary linked to its competitions. Sources stated that these confederations viewed FairSquare's letter as an opportunity for Infantino to resign.

Kevin Lamour, FIFA's Chief Operating Officer and third-highest-ranking official, criticized Infantino's leadership and voted against the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal in a meeting held on July 18, 2026. He joined FIFA in November 2024 after previously serving as deputy general secretary at UEFA.

On July 31, 2026, Lamour stated that FIFA staff had been deceived by Infantino regarding the FFE plan. It is the project of one person, he said. Not only must this project not go ahead … but the time has now come for football political leaders to ask themselves the right questions and make the right decisions. He added, If that means I lose my job, then so be it. I will understand and respect that decision. At least I'll sleep well tonight.

Support for Infantino remains divided among member associations. The Scottish Football Association became the first major European federation to formally withdraw support for Infantino's re-election in August 2026, citing a lack of transparency over the FFE proposal and governance issues. Scottish Football Association chief executive Ian Maxwell stated that his federation would not support Infantino's re-election.

The Football Associations of England, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland have also withdrawn support. New Zealand has stated it will not follow the Oceania confederation and will not vote for Infantino.

Conversely, Infantino retains the backing of the African and South American confederations. Mexico, Grenada, and St Kitts and Nevis have broken away from other CONCACAF nations to support Infantino. Eight Asian confederation members, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Kuwait, Mongolia, Philippines, and Bhutan, have split to support him.

Preliminary discussions have occurred between UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC regarding breakaway competitions if Infantino remains president. No candidate has put their name forward to stand against Infantino before the November 18 deadline.

Why It Matters

The outcome of FairSquare's complaint will determine whether FIFA adheres strictly to its statutory term limits or continues to interpret them through exceptions. The 2016 reforms established term limits as a fundamental check on presidential power, and a ruling in favor of Infantino could set a precedent for bypassing governance rules. The controversy overlaps with dissatisfaction among major confederations regarding transparency and commercial decisions, raising questions about the unity of the global football body heading into the 2027 election cycle.

Timeline

Gianni Infantino was elected at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress in 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s resignation. The official record states that Infantino was elected at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress on February 26, 2016, following Sepp Blatter's resignation, and that this period was not counted as a term of office for the current FIFA President, according to a statement by the FIFA Council in December 2022. The 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress was held at the Hallenstadion in Zürich, Switzerland, on 26 February 2016.

In 2022, Gianni Infantino argued that his first term, beginning in 2016, should not count towards the term limit because it completed an interrupted mandate. Kevin Lamour joined FIFA in November 2024. Kevin Lamour voted against the FFE plan in a meeting held on July 18, 2026.

Kevin Lamour stated on July 31, 2026, that FIFA staff had been deceived by Infantino regarding the FFE plan. On 17 August 2026, a FIFA spokesperson stated, Fifa can confirm that the working relationship between Fifa and Kevin Lamour as Fifa's Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026.

What's New

Additional reporting indicates that the Scottish Football Association has lost confidence in Gianni Infantino and will not vote for his re-election as president. Kevin Lamour criticized Gianni Infantino's leadership and voted against the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal. Gianni Infantino's 2026 proposal to sell a 20% stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to private equity investors faced immediate backlash, including an emergency governance meeting in Morocco and threats of boycotts from UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC.

The official record states that Gianni Infantino was elected at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress on February 26, 2016, following Sepp Blatter's resignation, and that this period was not counted as a term of office for the current FIFA President, according to a statement by the FIFA Council in December 2022. A FIFA spokesperson confirmed that Fifa can confirm that the working relationship between Fifa and Kevin Lamour as Fifa's Chief Operating Officer has ended on 17 August 2026. Kevin he stated on July 31, 2026, that FIFA staff had been deceived by Infantino regarding the FFE plan. The Football Associations of England, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland have withdrawn support for Gianni Infantino. Preliminary discussions have occurred between UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC regarding breakaway competitions if Infantino remains president.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the specifics of the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. One account states that Gianni Infantino's 2026 proposal involved selling a 20% stake in FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to private equity investors. FIFA proposal documents state that Infantino attempted to create the company to manage commercial and ticketing rights, with 21% to be sold to a private investment company.

Reports also vary regarding the context of the FIFA Congress. Some records note that Gianni Infantino was elected at an Extraordinary FIFA Congress in 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s resignation. Other sources specify that the decision date for the next vote is March 18, 2027, when the FIFA Congress will take place in Morocco to vote on Infantino's re-election for the 2027-31 cycle.

Perspectives on voting intentions also differ. Ian Maxwell stated that the Scottish Football Association has lost confidence in Infantino and will not vote for his re-election. Other reports focus on the scheduled decision date of March 18, 2027, in Morocco for the vote on the 2027-31 cycle.

Accounts of internal opposition to the FFE proposal also vary. Some sources report that Kevin Lamour criticized Infantino's leadership and voted against the proposal. Other accounts describe the broader backlash, noting that the proposal faced immediate criticism, including an emergency governance meeting in Morocco and threats of boycotts from UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC.

Geographic references in the coverage also differ. Some reports mention an emergency governance meeting in Morocco related to the FFE proposal. Other sources identify Morocco as the location for the March 18, 2027, FIFA Congress vote on Infantino's re-election.