Argentina and Mexico bolster Infantino amid deepening FIFA governance crisis
As the Confederation of African Football unanimously supports Gianni Infantino, Argentina and Mexico join his camp, challenging the boycott threats from UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation ahead of the March congress in Morocco.
The divide within world football governance has widened significantly following declarations of support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino from both Argentina and Mexico. The moves come just a day after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously voted to back the president, providing a substantial numerical counterweight to the opposition led by UEFA.
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has effectively broken ranks with its regional confederation, CONCACAF, which had previously called for a comprehensive reckoning with Infantino’s leadership. In a statement, the FMF affirmed its support for the president’s focus on institutional strengthening and declared it would not recognise any process convened outside of FIFA’s institutional framework.
Argentina’s football association (AFA) went further, issuing a statement of outright support that moved beyond the cautious stance of its confederation, CONMEBOL. The AFA cited Infantino’s decade-long tenure and the organisation’s focus on a stable, transparent governance model. While acknowledging errors in the recent commercial rights proposal, the AFA argued that the path forward is to continue working under current leadership until the next FIFA Congress.
The support from these two nations contrasts sharply with the position of UEFA, which has threatened a boycott of FIFA events, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which expressed solidarity with the European body. The AFC criticised the lack of consultation regarding the abandoned plan to sell commercial rights to the World Cup, describing the lack of dialogue as totally unacceptable, though it stopped short of threatening a boycott.
FIFA has apologised for mistakes in process and communication regarding the commercial rights proposal but maintains that no governance rules were breached. The controversy has drawn sharp criticism from players’ union FIFPRO, which described the proposal as a profound abuse of presidential power. Meanwhile, Norway’s Football Federation President Lise Klaveness has called for Infantino’s resignation, stating he no longer commands the confidence of the football community.
With the FIFA Congress scheduled for March in Morocco, where Infantino is expected to stand for a fourth term, the alignment of African, South American, and several Asian associations may prove critical. Individual Asian nations including Indonesia, Qatar, and Kuwait have also expressed support for the president, while Croatia, England, and Albania have withdrawn their backing.
