Ramon Vega Announces Challenge to Gianni Infantino for FIFA Presidency

Former Switzerland international Ramon Vega has declared his intention to run for the FIFA presidency at the upcoming Congress in March.

Former Tottenham Hotspur defender Ramon Vega announced on Wednesday his intention to challenge Gianni Infantino for the FIFA presidency. The 55-year-old, who earned 23 caps for Switzerland and played for clubs including Celtic and Watford, is the first individual to publicly declare a candidacy against the incumbent. The election is scheduled for March 18 in Rabat, Morocco, during the FIFA Congress.

To qualify for the ballot by the November 18 deadline, Vega must secure the backing of at least five of FIFA's 211 member federations. He previously sought the presidency in 2015, 2019, and 2022 but failed to obtain the necessary support. Candidates must also prove they played an active role in football for two of the last five years and pass a FIFA committee eligibility check.

Gianni Infantino is seeking a fourth term but faces opposition from UEFA, which has stated it lost confidence in his leadership following a rejected private investor plan for the World Cup. While Infantino reportedly has approximately 90 votes pledged, including support from South America and Middle Eastern nations like Qatar and Saudi Arabia, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and vice presidents from Asia and North America have previously denounced him for breach of trust. UEFA has scheduled a summit in Berlin this Thursday to discuss identifying a credible alternative candidate.