Argentina and Mexico Back Infantino
As the FIFA president faces a wave of criticism from Europe over the failed World Cup privatization plan, public support from Argentina and Mexico deepens the rift in world football.
As the FIFA president faces a wave of criticism from Europe over the failed World Cup privatization plan, public support from Argentina and Mexico deepens the rift in world football.
World football finds itself in an even deeper rift after the football associations of Argentina and Mexico publicly backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Their support comes at a time when the head of the world football governing body is facing serious pressure and a loss of trust from key European associations, including the Croatian Football Federation.
The crisis escalated after Infantino's controversial plan to establish a special company to manage the commercial and operational aspects of FIFA's competitions fell through. According to information from Večernji list, the most contentious part of the plan was the proposal to sell as much as 20 percent of the rights to private investors.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) officially announced its support for Infantino through a statement signed by the association's president, Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia. It highlights "full support and gratitude for what Gianni Infantino has done over the past ten years as FIFA president."
Infantino has been at the helm of FIFA since 2016, when he succeeded Sepp Blatter. In nearly a decade in that position, his promises of greater transparency are now under serious question, especially in Europe.
While Argentina and Mexico offer support, the European football bloc led by UEFA has strongly opposed Infantino's plans. Support for the current FIFA president for a new term has been withdrawn by, among others, the football associations of England, Wales, and Croatia. UEFA threatens to boycott competitions if its demands for changes are not met, while Concacaf, according to The Guardian, supports these demands and calls for a thorough review of FIFA's governance but has not yet threatened a boycott.
According to a report from The Guardian, the Mexican football associations have taken an even more radical step. Not only have they supported Infantino, but they have also "broken ranks" with the rest of their regional organization, Concacaf. The Guardian adds that speculation is growing that Mexico could move to the South American confederation, Conmebol.
Anadolu Agency reports that both associations, Argentine and Mexican, gave their support to Infantino after FIFA acknowledged mistakes in the World Cup privatization plan. With this move, they have opposed the stances of their respective regional bodies, Conmebol and Concacaf, further deepening the "football civil war."
