European football power brokers eye Al-Khelaifi as chief challenger to Infantino for FIFA presidency

European football officials increasingly view Paris Saint-Germain president and Qatar Sports Investments chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi as a legitimate contender to take on Gianni Infantino in the next FIFA presidential election. According to The Telegraph, the Qatari executive is seen as the most viable candidate to mount a serious challenge to the incumbent FIFA boss. Al-Khelaifi has been a central figure in global football for more than a decade. He has run PSG since 2011 and took over as chairman of the European Club Association (ECA) in 2021. He also sits on the UEFA Executive Committee and represents the ECA on the FIFA Council. The race for the FIFA presidency is expected to become one of the defining storylines in the sport next year, with Al-Khelaifi emerging as the most credible opponent to Infantino's reign.