Remember when almost everyone thought Gianni Infantino's days were numbered as Fifa president? Little more than two months have passed since news broke of his Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, a plan to sell off commercial rights in the World Cup to a private equity firm. Infantino, who had seemed impregnable at the head of world football's governing body, suddenly looked vulnerable, even untenable.
Yet with 40 days until the 18 November deadline for presidential nominations, senior figures in world football now believe the 56-year-old may be unopposed. Uefa thought FFE gave it the chance to cut the head off the snake, but it lacked the means to overthrow a figure who has built considerable support elsewhere in the world. No election, no challenge, just another coronation at the Fifa Congress in Rabat on 18 March.
Infantino has spent recent weeks touring the world to cement his position, from the inauguration of Colombia's new president, Abelardo de la Espriella, to a Fifa-funded youth tournament in the Dominican Republic, the Fifa Asean Cup final in Jakarta, and an African football conference in Cape Verde. He is also pointing to $1bn invested in Africa over ten years. Football remains split: Uefa, Concacaf and Asia oppose him, while Africa, South America and Oceania support him. Because of the funding model, he may be returned despite backing from only about half of Fifa's 211 members.
Uefa has struggled to find a credible rival. Victor Montagliani, president of Concacaf, was seen as the most likely challenger but has said he will seek re-election with Concacaf. Only Ramon Vega, the former Tottenham and Switzerland defender, has put himself forward, and he may not secure the five member association nominations required. To observers, the outcome may seem predictable.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing