Mexico breaks with Concacaf and joins Argentina to back Infantino amid FIFA crisis
The Mexican federation defies Concacaf and sides with Argentina in support of Gianni Infantino as the FIFA crisis deepens ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The FIFA crisis has taken a new turn — and this time with an unexpected twist: Mexico has turned its back on its own confederation and aligned itself with Argentina in defence of Gianni Infantino.
The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) released an official statement backing the FIFA president's leadership as he faces mounting pressure following the collapse of his plans to sell World Cup equity stakes to private investors. "The FMF supports President Infantino's leadership in continuing to develop football through institutional strengthening," the statement reads.
The move is politically charged: Concacaf, which governs football in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, had called for a "comprehensive review" of Infantino's tenure. Mexico, one of the host nations for the 2026 World Cup, simply ignored its own regional bloc.
The Mexican statement echoed the position of Conmebol — the South American body that had already come out in defence of Infantino — rejecting any attempt to remove him without a vote involving all 211 of FIFA's member associations. "The FMF will not recognise or approve any process convened outside that institutional framework," the statement added.
On the other side, UEFA is keeping the door open to a boycott and the English FA has withdrawn its support for Infantino — signs that the divide within world football is far from resolved.
Golmetria's model projects Argentina as one of the favourites for the 2026 World Cup, with a 6.92% chance of lifting the trophy — making the political weight of Conmebol, and now the FMF, all the more relevant behind the scenes of the tournament.
The World Cup kicks off in 2026. But the battle for control of world football is already in full swing — and every federation that picks a side is shaping what that tournament will look like.