Final decision: Wenger settles his stance on ousting Infantino

The legendary French coach, aged 77, had emerged as one of the potential candidates to unseat the controversial Infantino at the FIFA presidential elections scheduled for next March.

According to British newspaper "The Times", Wenger withdrew from the race after consulting senior football officials, dealing a heavy blow to UEFA's efforts to change the current FIFA president.

UEFA believed the French coach was one of the few names with enough international credibility to mount a serious challenge to the incumbent.

Prominent figures within FIFA, by contrast, encouraged Wenger not to run. The former Arsenal manager ultimately decided against competing with the man who appointed him to his current role.

Wenger has served as FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development since 2019, a year after ending his remarkable 22-year career with Arsenal.

His decision came amid rising tension between UEFA and Infantino over a controversial proposal to sell commercial stakes in future World Cup editions to private sector investors.

Known as the "FIFA Forward Foundation", the project sparked a wide wave of objections from football bodies around the world before it was abandoned.

Wenger had publicly distanced himself from those proposals, stressing that he only learned of them through media reports. He also welcomed their withdrawal.

For several months, UEFA searched for a rival with the credibility to face Infantino, FIFA president since 2016.

Infantino, 56, still managed to secure significant support from football bodies in Africa and Asia, strengthening his position ahead of the vote.

Japanese football official Kozo Tashima has already announced his intention to challenge Infantino. UEFA, meanwhile, can still look for another candidate before the nomination deadline on Wednesday.

Any candidate wishing to contest the elections must secure the backing of at least five national football associations. The vote is set for 18 March in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.

Wenger remains one of the most respected figures in football, having led Arsenal to three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups during his remarkable spell at the club.