Al-Khelaifi responds for the first time to reports of succeeding Infantino

Nasser Al-Khelaifi has ruled himself out of a run for the FIFA presidency to succeed Switzerland's Gianni Infantino, insisting he has no intention of leaving his post at Paris Saint-Germain.

The question came in the mixed zone on Wednesday evening, moments after PSG had beaten Aston Villa 2-1 to lift the UEFA Super Cup. Would the Parisian president consider replacing Infantino at the head of world football's governing body, given the mounting pressure the Italian faces?

His answer, relayed by France's RMC network, left little room for doubt: "I am very happy being president of Paris Saint-Germain, and happy to continue in this position."

Al-Khelaifi is not a candidate for the FIFA presidency

FIFA are in turmoil. Infantino is under fire, and the governing body has been dogged by controversy over the aborted plan to set up and sell a commercial company known as "FFE".

As the heat on Infantino rose, Al-Khelaifi's name emerged as one of the leading candidates to take over the FIFA presidency at the elections scheduled for March 2027, backed by support in some European circles.

His latest words tell a different story. The current direction points to no appetite for the electoral race, and he remains firmly committed to his work as president of the Parisian club.

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An important meeting with Ceferin before the Super Cup

Before making his position clear, Al-Khelaifi had held a meeting with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, then sat alongside him for the clash between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa.

Those informal talks, according to reports, covered several files. Among them: the situation inside FIFA following the recent developments around Infantino, and the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup set for 2029.

UEFA have long kept their distance from a number of FIFA's directions under Infantino, and some parties are said to want Al-Khelaifi to run for the presidency.

Saint-Germain, meanwhile, are enjoying the finest period in their history under Al-Khelaifi. The club have just claimed a fourth consecutive continental title, two Champions Leagues and two Super Cups.

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