Miguel Maduro, the former head of FIFA’s governance committee, has stated that current FIFA President Gianni Infantino is ineligible to stand for a fourth term in the 2027 elections. Maduro insists that FIFA’s statutes clearly limit any president to three terms, a threshold he believes Infantino has already reached.

Maduro’s assertion comes just two weeks before the deadline for submitting candidacies for the presidential election. The human rights organization FairSquare has also written to FIFA member associations, urging them to declare Infantino ineligible based on the same interpretation of the statutes. FairSquare previously argued that Infantino has served the maximum three terms permitted.

Infantino's camp previously argued that his first period in office, from his election in 2016 following Sepp Blatter’s resignation until 2019, should not count towards the term limit. This was because it was an interrupted mandate, completing a partial term. The FIFA Council in December 2022 "unanimously confirmed" that this period did not constitute a full term, though FairSquare noted that the justification for this decision was never publicly disclosed.

Maduro, a Portuguese lawyer who was removed from his FIFA role in 2017 after blocking a Russian official's re-election to a key committee, emphasized that the rule's wording does not differentiate between complete or incomplete terms. He stated that the statute simply refers to "three terms" without making any distinction regarding their length or completion status.

Infantino’s prospects for re-election were recently bolstered by an endorsement from the head of Asian football, suggesting significant support across various confederations. This backing places him in a strong position among FIFA's 211 member associations.

Maduro further commented on FIFA's governance framework, suggesting it is insufficient to hold the president accountable, particularly when interpretations of rules might benefit the incumbent. He argued that the existing checks and balances designed to limit presidential power have proven ineffective.

"That has a lot to do with the weakening of the independence of the bodies that are supposed to control the powers of the president and the political leadership of FIFA," Maduro explained. He added that recent evidence does not demonstrate "effective control" over the president's authority.

The controversy highlights ongoing debates about governance and accountability within international sports federations. The interpretation of term limits and the independence of governance bodies remain critical issues for organizations seeking to maintain public trust and ensure fair leadership transitions.