Mexico's football federation has broken with its regional body Concacaf to support Fifa president Gianni Infantino, while divisions deepen between continental governing bodies over his leadership following a controversial World Cup investment proposal.
The Mexican Football Federation has diverged from Concacaf, its continental governing body, to publicly back Fifa president Gianni Infantino amid mounting pressure for his resignation. Mexico's statement emphasized support for Infantino's efforts to strengthen football institutions, positioning itself alongside South American confederation Conmebol and the African Football Confederation in his favour.
The backing from World Cup co-hosts Mexico and Argentina contrasts sharply with opposition from Europe's Uefa and Concacaf, which oversees football in North and Central America and the Caribbean. Concacaf called for a "comprehensive reckoning" of Infantino's presidency, characterizing his recently withdrawn proposal to sell World Cup stakes to private investors as symptomatic of poor governance. However, Concacaf stopped short of declaring lost confidence in the Fifa president, unlike Uefa, which has explicitly withdrawn its support.
Infantino's proposal, known as the Fifa Forward Enterprise, would have offered each member association $40 million in exchange for backing private investment in tournaments including the men's and women's World Cups. After withdrawing the plan during a Fifa executive meeting in Morocco, the organization acknowledged the process was mishandled and that member associations felt excluded. Despite these concessions, Uefa maintained its position that confidence has not been restored, stating the proposal represented a "shabby, back room, opaque deal."
The geographic split in support reveals growing tensions within global football governance. While African football and South American bodies support Infantino's continued leadership, European associations including England's FA have withdrawn backing. The dispute raises concerns about potential boycotts, with Uefa indicating its conditions for participation in the 2026 World Cup have not been satisfied.
