Several Concacaf countries are considering formally withdrawing their support for Fifa president Gianni Infantino, following the lead of European nations. All 41 members of Concacaf, which represents North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, are understood to have submitted letters endorsing Infantino's re-election before the World Cup, but many are now seriously considering retracting them.
European withdrawals and emergency meetings
Finland became the first of Fifa's 211 member associations to publicly withdraw its support last Thursday, followed by Wales on Monday. The FA of Wales, whose chair Laura McAllister had proposed a World Cup boycott at an emergency Uefa meeting, is also understood to have written to Fifa withholding backing for Infantino.
Concacaf held an emergency meeting last Friday, with a source who attended telling the Guardian that all members are strongly aligned with Uefa, which has led calls for Infantino to go. The meeting featured pledges from several countries to withdraw their backing, and some may have already done so privately.
Complications and divisions
A potential difficulty for Concacaf is that four of its members – the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica – are bidding to host the 2031 Women's World Cup, a decision to be approved by Fifa at an extraordinary general meeting in November. The US Soccer Federation is deeply unhappy with Infantino, particularly over backlash from his dealings with Donald Trump in the Folarin Balogun affair, but may not feel able to confront him due to political sensitivities.
Another factor is that Concacaf president Victor Montagliani is widely seen as a potential challenger to Infantino in next March's election. Although Montagliani has called for a thorough review of Fifa's governance, he has yet to decide whether to stand, telling the Guardian last month that his priority is re-election as Concacaf president.
While Concacaf is united, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) appears divided. Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have publicly backed Infantino, as have Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Bhutan. Most of the AFC's 47 members, including Saudi Arabia, have stayed silent, but Uefa hopes to attract their support, though it remains unclear if rebels have enough numbers for a genuine contest.
Oceania's cautious stance
New Zealand Football's Andrew Pragnell said Fifa's abandoned private equity proposal had shaken confidence in football's governance, urging Oceania's members to be united on Infantino's leadership. Oceania has yet to take a position, though Pragnell acknowledged "enormous gains" for smaller associations under Infantino, but added that the proposal's delivery and the shock to confidence "has cast a pretty big shadow."
Pragnell said New Zealand would consult with Oceania members and other confederations before deciding, preferring alignment. "There's obviously more power in numbers," he said. "Certainly it helps when a confederation acts in unison. You've seen in some confederations, even in the last week, members go different ways from other members."
