Wenger urged to challenge Infantino as Fifa Council meets in Zurich

Senior European football figures have told BBC Sport in Zurich they would like Arsene Wenger to stand as a surprise candidate against Fifa president Gianni Infantino, with the Fifa Council meeting taking place on Thursday.

Infantino, who looks increasingly likely to be re-elected unopposed for a fourth and final term next year, faces criticism after the emergence of his Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) scheme and related calls from leaders in Europe, North America and Asia for him to step down; Wenger has been Fifa's chief of global football development since 2019 and joined Infantino for a dinner in Zurich on Wednesday ahead of the council meeting.

Fifa is due to propose a $3.4bn (£2.6bn) increase in development funding at the meeting, but Infantino will also face scrutiny over governance reforms, FFE, the awarding of the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump and disciplinary procedures following the Folarin Balogun affair; to date only the former Tottenham defender Ramon Vega has declared his intention to run for president.

Those urging Wenger to stand point to his global standing and experience in development work; one senior official at a European national association said: "He's a brilliant football man who truly understands football development because he's been running it," adding that "People don't see him as just a European. He's very respected in Asia, for instance, from his time working in Japan. A lot of people are saying he'd be the ideal candidate. With him, it's not about money, status or ego. He genuinely loves the game."

Wenger publicly distanced himself from the aborted FFE plan, saying: "I was not involved in this strategic plan and first became aware of the project through media reports," and: "The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and beyond question, because I firmly believe in an independent Fifa that serves our game with commitment, transparency and integrity." He has remained in his Fifa role overseeing youth development programmes and attending council meetings.

In his current role Wenger oversees youth development at academies in 60 countries and youth competitions around the world, and serves as a technical adviser to the International Football Association Board (Ifab); he has attracted controversy for proposals such as biennial World Cups and the idea of a 'daylight' offside law.

Opinion inside Fifa is mixed: BBC Sport was told that many Fifa staff want Wenger to run and believe he could change the organisation's image, while a well-connected figure in Fifa circles said he would be "amazed if Wenger would rise up against the man who appointed him in the first place. Arsene has had some fairly 'out there' ideas. In terms of the administration of the game and the relationships on a political level, in the kind of places you're going to need to corral and command power, I'm not sure he's the man for that." Another senior European official added: "He has the stature, but I'm not sure he smacks of the future. Maybe he could do a single term to introduce reforms. He is very respected in the game and has done a good job of the development programmes, but whether he'd split from Gianni, I just don't know."

As a manager Wenger is remembered in the article as a figure who changed English football with a forward-thinking approach to tactics and nutrition; at the weekend he told delegates at a Confederation of African Football conference in Cape Verde: "We want to see an African team win the World Cup, and the numbers show that it is feasible."

Anyone considering a challenge has until 18 November to declare and would need nominations from at least five national associations, and Infantino has said he is open to talks over Fifa reform as the council meets to debate the organisation's future.