Concacaf countries considering withdrawing support for under-fire Gianni Infantino – The Guardian

Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s grip on power is tightening as Concacaf’s 41 member associations weigh a coordinated withdrawal of support, according to multiple reports emerging from North and Central America’s football confederation. The move follows months of escalating criticism over his leadership style, governance record and the fallout from the expanded Club World Cup, which critics argue prioritises commercial interests over the game’s integrity. With the next Fifa council vote scheduled for October, the potential defection of Concacaf’s 41 votes would represent the most serious challenge to Infantino’s presidency since he took office in 2016.

What sparked the backlash

The immediate trigger appears to be the controversial decision to stage the expanded Club World Cup in the United States in June and July, a tournament that saw European giants Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid withdraw amid safety concerns and fixture congestion. Concacaf’s general secretariat circulated a confidential briefing paper last week outlining concerns that the expanded competition diluted the quality of international football while enriching Fifa’s commercial partners. The document, seen by The Guardian, also highlighted what it described as “a pattern of opaque decision-making” in Infantino’s handling of key appointments and financial allocations, including the awarding of hosting rights for the 2026 World Cup to the United States, Canada and Mexico without a formal bidding process. While no formal vote has been called, delegates from at least six Caribbean nations—including Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Haiti—have privately indicated they would reconsider their support for Infantino if the current trajectory continues.

Why this moment matters

The stakes are unusually high because Concacaf is the only confederation outside Europe that wields real voting power on Fifa’s ruling council. Infantino’s re-election in 2023 was secured with a wafer-thin majority of 197 votes to 132, and the loss of Concacaf’s 41 votes would leave him vulnerable to a challenge at the next presidential election in 2027. Already, Infantino has faced criticism from within his own ranks: the head of the Dutch FA publicly questioned the Club World Cup expansion during a closed-door meeting in Zurich last month, while the Scottish FA has privately lobbied for greater transparency in Fifa’s financial disclosures, citing concerns over the $4.6bn in undisclosed payments made to Fifa executives between 2016 and 2022. A formal withdrawal of support by Concacaf would embolden those critics and could force Infantino to reshuffle his executive team or even bring forward governance reforms before the October vote.

The road ahead

For now, the situation remains fluid. Concacaf’s president, Victor Montagliani, has yet to take a public stance, though insiders report he is privately urging caution to avoid a destabilising split within the confederation. The confederation’s next executive committee meeting is scheduled for late September in Miami, where delegates will review a formal proposal to withhold support unless Infantino agrees to an independent audit of Fifa’s financial dealings and a moratorium on further competition expansions. If the motion gains traction, it could trigger a confidence vote at the Fifa council in October, where a simple majority of 16 votes would be enough to trigger a leadership review process. Infantino’s allies insist he remains confident of retaining Concacaf’s backing, pointing to recent infrastructure investments in the region—including $200m in funding for artificial pitches and youth academies—as evidence of his commitment. Yet with the Club World Cup’s reputation already damaged by withdrawals and safety incidents, the political cost of pressing ahead may soon outweigh the financial gains, particularly as Concacaf’s smaller nations, many of which rely heavily on Fifa development grants, face growing pressure to prioritise governance over funding.

What happens next hinges on whether Concacaf’s smaller nations, including Belize, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and the Cayman Islands, can overcome their financial dependence and unite behind a common front. If they do, Infantino could face the most serious threat to his presidency in nearly a decade. If they falter, the status quo will prevail—but the reputational damage to Fifa’s credibility, already tarnished by the Club World Cup’s controversies, will linger long after the final whistle.