GENEVA: UEFA says it will support general secretary Gianni Infantino as a candidate in the FIFA presidential election.

Infantino has been the right-hand man to Michel Platini since 2009 and could take his boss' place in the election if the suspended UEFA president is barred as a candidate.

The UEFA executive committee agreed to the new election strategy at an emergency meeting held via video conference hours before the entry deadline closes later Monday.

UEFA says Infantino, a Swiss lawyer, has "our full support in his campaign to become FIFA president."

Infantino is now "in the process of submitting the required nominations" of five member federations.