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Mexico and Argentina’s football associations have publicly supported FIFA President Gianni Infantino, even as he faces intense criticism over a now-abandoned plan to sell part of the World Cup’s commercial rights, as per a report in the Reuters Sport. The proposal involved creating a new entity valued at around $20 billion that would have taken a share of the tournament’s commercial rights.
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It triggered a fierce backlash from several confederations and national associations on the global level, prompting the FIFA council to arrange a crisis meeting. UEFA signalled it was prepared to boycott FIFA competitions, CONCACAF called for a broader reckoning with Infantino’s leadership, and players’ union FIFPRO described the move as a profound abuse of presidential power.
Argentina and Mexico back Infantino as FIFA rights row continues amid backlash
FIFA later abandoned the idea, apologised to its members and pledged to review the processes that led to the controversy. Mexico’s football federation (FMF) broke ranks with CONCACAF to declare its support for Infantino.
It said it would not recognise any attempt to remove him outside FIFA’s formal structures involving all 211 member associations and praised his work on institutional strengthening and the development of the game. Argentina’s association (AFA) also expressed confidence in FIFA’s leadership over the past decade, while acknowledging that the rights proposal had generated uncertainties and errors.
The episode comes as Infantino prepares to seek a fourth term at the FIFA Congress in Morocco in March 2027. While some confederations, including CAF, have backed him, divisions within world football remain clear. FIFA, in a statement, has said that this will not happen again.
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