Infantino looks set to stay, but FIFA faces a new war over power

Gianni Infantino appears likely to remain FIFA president, but the power struggle around his continued leadership is far from over, according to senior football officials. While opponents may have failed to force a change after the collapse of Infantino’s abandoned private-investment plan, figures in the sport increasingly frame the dispute as a fight over governance terms. One possible outcome is a compromise that keeps Infantino in office while limiting his authority. The alternative is a prolonged “hot-cold war” in which clubs, confederations, player representatives and national associations challenge FIFA over competitions, money and the international calendar—creating conditions some compare to an unprecedented “civil war” in governance.