Mexico backs Infantino in blow to Uefa-led Fifa rebellion

Mexico's football federation has publicly thrown its weight behind Gianni Infantino, fracturing the united front assembled by Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf to challenge the Fifa president's position. The move by a 2026 World Cup co-host weakens the rebellion that erupted over Infantino's undisclosed plan to sell commercial rights to a private entity linked to allies of Donald Trump.

The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) said it would not recognise any process convened outside Fifa's formal governance structures, endorsing Infantino's call to continue developing the game through "institutional strengthening". The statement puts Mexico at odds with its own confederation, Concacaf, which had joined Uefa and the AFC in condemning the privatisation proposal.

The privatisation plan that sparked the crisis

Infantino faced calls to resign after it emerged he had negotiated secretly to spin off World Cup commercial rights into a private company, with stakes offered to investors including members of the Trump family. The Fifa Council and all 211 member associations were kept in the dark until the plans leaked. A crisis meeting in Morocco this week ended with Fifa apologising for the secrecy, while Infantino made clear he intends to remain in post.

The FMF supports the leadership of President Infantino to continue driving the development of football through institutional strengthening.

Vote arithmetic shifts in Infantino's favour

Had Uefa, the AFC and Concacaf voted as blocs, they would command 136 of 211 votes, enough to block a third term or force a confidence vote. But the African confederation CAF has unanimously reconfirmed its backing, South America and Oceania are aligned with Infantino, and now Mexico joins Asian nations Qatar and Kuwait in breaking ranks. The arithmetic no longer guarantees a challenger can secure the necessary majority at next year's presidential election.

What happens next

The focus shifts to whether the European-led group can persuade more associations to return to the fold before the 2026 congress. Infantino will likely use the Morocco apology as a reset, betting that development funding and tournament revenues keep the majority on side. For Mexico, the calculation is pragmatic: as a World Cup co-host, stability at the top of Fifa matters more than the governance dispute that has consumed Zurich.