Peter Auf der Heyde lectures in journalism at Southampton Solent University. He also wants to be president of Fifa, and if he gets the job he would like to be paid one dollar a year for doing it. The deadline for anyone intending to stand against Gianni Infantino in the March 2027 election is 18 November, which gives him a week.
Who he is and what he needs
The South African is a former sports editor of the German news agency dpa and covered 13 consecutive Africa Cup of Nations tournaments as a journalist. He was president of the Grahamstown Soccer Association and both owned and managed second-division side UDW FC in the early 1990s. To become a candidate he needs nominations from five national associations. He has written to all 211 of Fifa's member associations and says the Jamaican and English FAs have already replied.
His argument is about the shape of the contest rather than his own chances. "I feel very strongly that there needs to be a challenge in any election," he told BBC Radio Solent. "There should not be an uncontested election and in this case Infantino needs to be challenged. It's important for accountability and transparency." He is careful about the distinction between the two things he is asking for. "I'm not asking for countries to vote for me, I'm asking for them to nominate me. Once you have a nomination and become an official candidate you can then ask questions to other candidates that you can't ask otherwise."
The one dollar salary
The pay proposal is the headline-grabber and he is explicit about why. Infantino earned around six million dollars last year, which Auf der Heyde calls ridiculous. His counter-proposal is that 450,000 dollars would be an adequate salary for the role, and that in his own case he would take one dollar a year and collect the balance only after four years, and only if he had kept his promises.
An emerging nations World Cup
His manifesto comes in three parts, and the piece he leads with is a new global tournament for the countries that never get near the existing one. Forty-eight nations qualify for the men's World Cup finals every four years. The other 163 do not. "I'd like to see an emerging nations World Cup," he said, naming Eswatini, Andorra and San Marino as examples of sides that will realistically never qualify, and suggesting winners of that competition could then progress towards the World Cup itself.
He is not the only one circling. Arsene Wenger is considering standing, and Infantino is already facing Kozo Tashima, honorary president of the Japan Football Association, and former Tottenham and Switzerland defender Ramon Vega. The incumbent, who faced calls to resign over a plan to sell stakes in Fifa competitions to private investors, has said he has the backing of the vast majority of world football and laughed off questions about stepping down.
Election context: The Fifa presidential election takes place in March 2027. Candidates must confirm by 18 November and require nominations from five member associations. Infantino is seeking a fourth and final term. Declared or considering: Kozo Tashima, Ramon Vega, Arsene Wenger and Peter Auf der Heyde.
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