The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) approved the removal of presidential term limits at an Extraordinary General Assembly in Macau on June 25, 2026, with over 90% of members voting in favor [1, 2, 3]. The change abolishes the previous cap of three four-year terms, which limited presidents to 12 years in office [1, 2, 3].
The vote, which passed with 90.71% approval, clears the way for the current FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, age 64, to serve beyond the former limit [1, 2, 3]. Ben Sulayem reportedly aims to remove the age limit of 70 for candidates and hopes to serve as president for life [1, 2, 3].
Jean Todt, the previous FIA president, introduced the three-term limit following Max Mosley's long tenure as president of the federation [1, 2, 3]. The FIA stated the removal aims to align term limits across its various bodies to foster governance consistency [1].
Ben Sulayem commented that the decisions made "reflect the continued progress we are making together as a federation," and he highlighted "stronger governance, financial discipline and clear long-term vision" as key outcomes of the new structure [2, 3].
The vote comes amid positive financial results for the FIA. The federation’s 2025 annual report showed an operating profit of 6.7 million euros, a 43% increase from the prior year and a major turnaround from a 24 million euro operating loss recorded in 2021 [2, 3].
The Extraordinary General Assembly vote in Macau marks the immediate implementation of the new rules, with Ben Sulayem positioned to remain FIA president without a term or age ceiling in the near future.
