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UEFA's Ceferin tells Infantino to go, but 'not interested' in replacing him

Infantino has come under increasing pressure to step down as head of world football's governing body over his now-abandoned plan to secure private investment in FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup.

UEFA's Ceferin tells Infantino to go, but 'not interested' in replacing him

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has announced he will not run against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, but urged him to either step down or face a leadership challenge in March. Infantino has faced mounting pressure to resign due to his plans to sell shares in the World Cup to private equity firms, which were subsequently canceled.

Three of soccer's main confederations have accused Infantino of deception, and UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA events. Ceferin, speaking on a British podcast, said Infantino needs to either recognize he lacks support from the football community, fans, players, former players, coaches, or face a candidate in the March elections. Infantino, FIFA's president since 2016, was expected to be re-elected unopposed, but the backlash over his controversial proposals has cast doubt on his future.

The deadline for challengers to file nominations is set for November 18. Despite being considered as a potential challenger, Ceferin emphasized his commitment to UEFA, stating that his love for the organization and desire to enjoy life have led him to decline.

Written by urgent.news from Associated Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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