FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirms he will seek re-election

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA since 2016, confirmed Thursday he will seek one more term in the office.

Infantino's current four-year term expires next year, and FIFA plans to hold its presidential election for the 2027-31 term at the 77th FIFA Congress on a TBD date in 2027.

The electoral period officially began Thursday at the 76th Congress being held in Vancouver.

"I want to confirm to you that I will be candidate for the FIFA election of president next year," Infantino said to close the Congress, per The Athletic.

Infantino is already heavily backed for the position and may run unopposed. The African and Asian soccer confederations announced Wednesday that they'd support Infantino's bid. CONMBEOL, representing South America, had previously backed him, making three of the six continental governing bodies that support him.

Infantino, 56, won a special election after Sepp Blatter resigned amid a corruption scandal. He completed the remainder of Blatter's term -- 2016-19 -- and FIFA's governing council confirmed to Infantino that those years would not count toward his limit of three terms.

--Field Level Media