REUTERS/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake
It's been a controversial summer for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who is now at risk of losing his job after a series of questionable decisions.
The 56-year-old drew criticism ahead of the 2026 World Cup due to his close relationship with United States President Donald Trump. Even those within FIFA were said to be embarrassed as Inaftinao handed Trump the Peace Prize.
The outrageous call to then rescind Folarin Balogun's red card during the tournament did not help, but Infantino's biggest mistake came after the World Cup, when it became apparent that he wanted to sell off shares in the FIFA competition. As a result, UEFA have declared a loss of confidence in Infantino, with many nations withdrawing support for the current president ahead of the 2027 elections.
Sir Alex Ferguson and Gianni Infantino
Sir Alex Ferguson and Gianni Infantino
Vincent Kompany Backed as Next FIFA President
vincent kompany
With Infantino's future in doubt, a few names have been suggested in the media as possible candidates to run for FIFA president. Perhaps the most exciting name yet has now emerged with Toby Alderweireld tipping a four-time Premier League winner for the job.
Indeed, the former Ajax and Tottenham Hotspur star has suggested his old Belgian teammate Vincent Kompany would be ideal to take over from Infantino. As quoted by FourFourTwo, Alderweireld explained:
It's interesting to note that Alderweireld expected Kompany to take on a more administrative role within football, as opposed to becoming a coach. However, still only 40 years old, the former Manchester City captain has quickly established himself as one of the best young managers in the game, working for Anderlecht and Burnley before taking on his current role at Bayern Munich.
Alderweireld: 'Next FIFA Boss Must Be Someone Who Played the Game'
Toby Alderweireld
Names like Aleksander Ceferin, Patrice Motsepe, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, Lise Klaveness, Dariusz Mioduski, Mattias Grafstrom, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, Victor Montagliani have been touted as possible challengers for Infantino, but Alderweireld has explained what he is looking for in the next FIFA boss.
“It’s very important that the FIFA president is someone who played the game and knows the game,” the former Belgium centre-back said. “We've all been a fan. Then we've become a football player. We know both sides. When I was a child, I went to all the away games on the bus. We're not just people who made good money out of playing in the Premier League and Champions League.
“We’re football fans too. We played the game. We know how it is. What it is to be a player and a fan. The one thing that's very important is that the person who's doing the talking should be a football guy because look at the World Cup. A 20-minute show at half-time? That’s where you need someone who knows football to say no.
“The most beautiful thing about the sport is its traditions. New things have their place too but we need to protect the traditions as well and that’s why you need football players, football people who have been around the game, to keep the businessmen in check.”
As things stand, Kompany has a contract with Bayern until 2029 and, having won the Bundesliga twice in his first two seasons, it remains unclear but feels unlikely that he would have any interest in stepping away from management to run for FIFA president at any time soon.