Gianni Infantino‘s tenure as FIFA president has been hugely controversial. So much so, that new reports state that many are backing Qatar Sports Investments and president of PSG Nasser Al-Khelaifi to challenge for soccer’s most important role.
Per Ben Rumsby and Tom Morgan of The Telegraph, Nasser Al-Khelaifi is really getting supporters to think he has the best chance of challenging Gianni Infantino at next year’s FIFA presidential election. Infantino has not made any fans with some of his decisions lately. In fact, UEFA already confirmed it will boycott FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, if Infantino insists with a private investment proposal.
Al-Khelaifi has made history by making PSG one of the best teams in the world of soccer. Not afraid to make big investments, Al-Khelaifi seems to have gathered plenty of backers for next year.
Al-Khelaifi has had similar roles in sports to FIFA president
Nasser Al-Khelaifi is a very clever sports business man. As he identifies opportunities, he invests. As of right now, he is also the Chairman of Premier Padel, the official professional padel tour. Padel is one of the fastest-rising sports in the world, and Al-Khelaifi has been at the forefront of that growth.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi, President of Paris Saint-Germain
Obviously, becoming FIFA president is a way bigger, prominent, and busy role. Hence, some big-time planning and preparation will be needed. Still, it’s noteworthy that Al-Khelaifi knows how to handle those kinds of responsibilities.
The one roadblock for Al-Khelaifi
If Nasser Al-Khelaifi wants to contend to be FIFA’s president, he would have to resign from his PSG, Premier Padel, and beIN Media Group roles. This is because he would breach FIFA Governance Rules, which state the following:
- Conflict of Interest: FIFA’s strict Code of Ethics and governance regulations prohibit the president from holding active management or executive roles in professional clubs, leagues, or commercial media entities that deal with broadcasting rights.
- Full-Time Commitment: The role of FIFA president is a full-time position requiring absolute neutrality, meaning holding dual leadership in a major European club like PSG or a global broadcaster like beIN Sports creates an untenable conflict of interest.
