Victor Montagliani and Aleksander Ceferin will demand an independent review of Fifa's FFE plan and call for broader governance reforms at a key council meeting in Zurich. The Concacaf and Uefa presidents will be joined by Asian Football Confederation chief Salman bin Ibrahim al-Khalifa in pushing for change ahead of key elections.
Their agenda builds on a reform framework agreed at Uefa's recent meeting in Berlin. Delegates there discussed the need for a president who leads rather than manages, stronger ethics and compliance bodies, and clearer processes for major decisions. This push comes as Fifa's leadership faces scrutiny over its handling of the FFE scandal.
Montagliani and Ceferin confirm re-election bids
Both leaders have confirmed their intentions to seek re-election within their own confederations, ruling out immediate challenges for the Fifa presidency. Victor Montagliani intends to stand again as Concacaf president next year. "He wants to continue serving members in the region," a statement said. Aleksander Ceferin confirmed his bid for another term as Uefa president at a meeting of the body's 55 member associations. He stated he would not run for a fourth term at the helm of European football's governing body.
Azerbaijan’s role and the Under-15 World Cup
Elkhan Mammadov, the former general secretary of the Azerbaijan FA who now serves as Fifa's chief member associations officer, has been central to president Gianni Infantino's efforts to manage the FFE crisis. His country is set to host the inaugural Fifa Under-15 World Cup later this month. The tournament's participants will include Russia, whose teams have been largely excluded from international football since the invasion of Ukraine.
Previous calls for Fifa cash reserves
The upcoming Zurich meeting will also revisit previous calls from the three confederation leaders for Fifa to distribute part of its substantial cash reserves. Last month, Montagliani, Ceferin and al-Khalifa wrote to Infantino urging the allocation of a portion of Fifa's $6bn (£4.5bn) in reserves to its member associations. The topic is scheduled for discussion as part of the wider governance debate. The outcome of the council meeting, including whether the proposed independent FFE review will be approved, remains unknown. Middlesbrough's next fixture is at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday, 10 October.
More detail at The Guardian
