Argentina, Mexico Back Infantino as FIFA Rift Deepens

The divide inside world football is getting harder to ignore. Argentina and Mexico have publicly backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino, adding important support for the embattled football chief as opposition to his leadership continues to grow in Europe.

Their backing comes after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) also expressed strong support for Infantino. At the same time, UEFA and several European football associations have taken a much tougher stance, with Norway even calling for the FIFA president to resign.

The disagreement was triggered by FIFA's controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which involved plans to raise billions of dollars by selling stakes linked to World Cup commercial rights. The proposal has since been abandoned, but the political fallout has continued.

Why Argentina's Support Matters

Argentina's support carries considerable weight in the football world. The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has reaffirmed its confidence in Infantino, praising his leadership and FIFA's efforts to develop football globally.

The timing is significant. Argentina are the reigning world champions, and the AFA remains one of the most influential national associations in international football. Rather than joining the growing calls for change, Argentina has chosen to stand behind Infantino, although the federation has also acknowledged concerns surrounding the controversial investment proposal. For Infantino, that distinction is important. It suggests that criticism of the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan does not necessarily mean opposition to his presidency.

Mexico Also Breaks Ranks

Mexico's decision is equally significant. The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has backed Infantino despite criticism coming from CONCACAF, the regional confederation to which Mexico belongs.

Mexico co-hosted the recently completed 2026 FIFA World Cup, making its relationship with FIFA particularly important. The FMF has argued for FIFA's established institutional framework and continued global football development, effectively rejecting calls for an immediate overhaul of Infantino's leadership. Mexico's position therefore creates an interesting split: the country's national federation is supporting Infantino while its regional confederation has demanded a broader examination of his presidency.

Africa Gives Infantino Another Major Boost

Argentina and Mexico are not alone. The Confederation of African Football has also rallied behind Infantino, giving the FIFA president a significant bloc of support at a time when criticism from Europe is intensifying.

African football has benefited substantially from FIFA's development programmes during Infantino's tenure, making investment and development funding an important part of the relationship. For many African associations, FIFA's ability to distribute funding and expand football development opportunities remains a major priority. That helps explain why Infantino continues to enjoy considerable support across the continent even as his leadership faces a serious challenge elsewhere.

What Was the FIFA Forward Enterprise Plan?

At the heart of the controversy is the now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. FIFA had explored a structure that would allow external investors to acquire stakes connected to the commercial side of the World Cup.

The plan was presented as a way to unlock additional commercial value and potentially generate billions of dollars for football development. However, critics questioned how such a major decision had been developed and communicated, particularly because of concerns over consultation, transparency and the role of private investors in FIFA's commercial operations.

The proposal eventually became too divisive to move forward. Infantino withdrew it after opposition from several football organisations and apologised for the way the process had been handled.

UEFA Remains Firmly Opposed

While Argentina, Mexico and Africa have backed Infantino, UEFA remains one of his strongest opponents. European football authorities have criticised the proposed commercial-rights structure and raised concerns about FIFA's decision-making process.

UEFA has also threatened to boycott FIFA competitions if the dispute is not resolved. Several European associations have withdrawn their support for Infantino, while the Norwegian Football Federation has gone even further by openly calling for his resignation. That has transformed what initially looked like a disagreement over a financial proposal into a much broader debate about FIFA leadership and football governance.

Norway Calls for Infantino to Resign

Norway has emerged as one of the most vocal critics. The Norwegian Football Federation has called for Infantino to step down, arguing that confidence in his leadership has been seriously damaged.

The demand comes as several European associations question whether Infantino still has the trust required to lead the global governing body. However, the opposition has not produced a clear alternative candidate for the FIFA presidency, meaning Infantino remains in a relatively strong position despite the criticism.

The AFC Has Also Raised Concerns

Europe is not the only region to have questioned FIFA's approach. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has expressed solidarity with critics of the investment plan and raised concerns about the lack of consultation surrounding the proposal.

However, Asia's position is not completely uniform, with some national associations continuing to support Infantino. This highlights one of the biggest problems facing the FIFA president: the football world is increasingly divided not only between continents, but sometimes within them.

FIFPRO Adds to the Pressure

The controversy has also attracted criticism from the players' side. FIFPRO, the global football players' union, has criticised the proposal and accused FIFA's leadership of an abuse of presidential power.

That adds another layer to the dispute. FIFA is not simply facing criticism from competing football administrators. Players' representatives and national associations are also questioning how major decisions affecting the sport are being made.

Why This Is Bigger Than One Investment Plan

The FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal may be gone, but the questions it raised are still very much alive.

At the centre of the dispute are three major issues:

• Who should control FIFA's commercial assets?
• How much power should the FIFA president have?
• How should national associations and confederations be consulted on major decisions?

These questions could shape the future of FIFA long after the investment proposal has disappeared from the agenda. For Infantino, rebuilding trust may now be just as important as defending his record.

A Growing Split in World Football

The latest developments reveal an increasingly complicated picture. Argentina, Mexico and much of Africa continue to support Infantino, while UEFA and several European associations are demanding significant changes.

CONCACAF has called for a broader reckoning with Infantino's presidency, while the AFC has criticised the process surrounding the investment proposal. The result is an unusual political divide stretching across world football and because FIFA's president is elected by its member associations, these alliances could eventually become crucial.

What Happens Next for Infantino?

For now, Gianni Infantino remains FIFA president and retains substantial support among member associations. The withdrawal of the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan has removed the immediate financial flashpoint, but it has not resolved the leadership dispute.

The pressure on Infantino is likely to continue as football organisations debate transparency, governance and the future direction of the world's most powerful sporting body. The next major test will be whether Infantino can turn his current support from Argentina, Mexico, Africa and other allies into a broader rebuilding of trust.

The Bigger Picture

The latest FIFA controversy shows just how divided international football has become. Argentina and Mexico's decision to back Infantino gives him an important political boost, particularly when combined with support from African football.

But UEFA's opposition, Norway's call for his resignation and criticism from FIFPRO demonstrate that the FIFA president's problems are far from over. The FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal may have been abandoned, but the debate it triggered has opened a much larger conversation about power, money and accountability in world football.

For Infantino, the challenge now is no longer simply defending a controversial proposal. It is proving that FIFA can move forward with its member associations united behind its leadership.