MEXICO CITY/BUENOS AIRES: Mexico and Argentina have publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino, reinforcing his support among member associations as divisions widen over the governing body’s handling of a now-withdrawn proposal to sell part of the FIFA World Cup’s commercial rights.
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) endorsed Infantino’s leadership despite Concacaf’s call for a broader review of his presidency, while the Argentine Football Association (AFA) urged member associations to continue working within FIFA’s institutional framework ahead of the organisation’s presidential election in March 2027.
Support remains divided
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously endorsed Infantino following meetings in Rabat, while South America’s CONMEBOL rejected any attempt to remove the FIFA president outside the formal voting process involving all 211 member associations.
In contrast, UEFA has maintained its boycott of FIFA competitions, with the Asian Football Confederation expressing solidarity with UEFA and Concacaf. Croatia joined England and Albania in withdrawing support for Infantino amid the growing governance dispute.
Governance debate intensifies
The controversy centres on a proposal to sell a portion of the World Cup’s future commercial rights, which FIFA has since abandoned. Following criticism from several stakeholders, FIFA apologised for shortcomings in the decision-making process and pledged to review its internal procedures.
While acknowledging that the proposal created uncertainty, Argentina’s football association said FIFA’s governance reforms over the past decade had strengthened institutional transparency and argued that future issues should be addressed through established organisational mechanisms.
Infantino, who is seeking a fourth term as FIFA president, continues to enjoy significant backing despite mounting criticism from some confederations and football stakeholders. No formal challenger has yet emerged ahead of the FIFA Congress scheduled for March 2027 in Morocco.