Ceferin warns Infantino faces leadership challenge if he does not resign

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has warned FIFA President Gianni Infantino that he will face a leadership challenge in March if he does not step down voluntarily, intensifying the pressure on the embattled head of world soccer. Ceferin, speaking in an interview set to be broadcast on Monday, outlined two potential paths for Infantino: resigning due to a lack of broad support or proceeding to an election where a candidate will oppose him.

The warning comes amid a deepening crisis for Infantino, who has faced widespread backlash over a now-abandoned plan to sell private equity stakes in the World Cup. The proposal, known as the Football Forward Enterprise scheme, was shelved in early August after fierce opposition from multiple soccer confederations. Ceferin described the plan as "even worse than the Super League plan," a reference to the failed 2021 breakaway tournament proposal. He stated that the FFE plan is "dead" and praised the collective effort to stop what he characterized as an attempt to "sell the sport."

The controversy has fractured soccer's governing bodies. UEFA, along with the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF, accused Infantino of deception and has...