Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 7
Argentina, Mexico Back Infantino as 54-Nation Africa Bloc Bolsters FIFA Rift
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 7

Argentina, Mexico Back Infantino as 54-Nation Africa Bloc Bolsters FIFA Rift

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Aug 7

Summary

  • Argentina and Mexico publicly backed Gianni Infantino, giving the FIFA president fresh support as fallout widens over his scrapped plan to sell World Cup commercial rights.
  • Mexico broke with CONCACAF’s call for a “comprehensive reckoning,” while Argentina went beyond CONMEBOL’s procedural stance to endorse Infantino’s leadership before FIFA’s March Congress in Morocco.
  • 54-member CAF unanimously backed Infantino a day earlier, strengthening his numbers against UEFA, which still stands by its boycott vote and faces a direct resignation demand from Norway.
  • The split now runs across every major region: the AFC criticized FIFA’s consultation process but stopped short of a boycott, while several Asian federations, including Qatar and Indonesia, have backed Infantino.

Insights

Will FIFA's abandoned commercial rights plan ultimately trigger a global football civil war that forces Gianni Infantino out of power?
Why are less wealthy football nations fiercely protecting a FIFA president accused of profound abuses of power by European critics?