Mexico break ranks to join Argentina in backing Infantino
Norway’s football federation has called for Fifa president Gianni Infantino to resign, arguing that he no longer has the trust needed to lead the organisation. The demand follows his abandoned proposal to sell private-investment stakes in World Cup-related competitions, exposing a widening split among football’s governing bodies over his leadership.
Mexico has backed Infantino despite Concacaf, its regional confederation, seeking a “comprehensive reckoning” of his presidency, while Conmebol has also opposed any removal without a vote of all 211 Fifa members. Infantino had offered each association $40m (£30m) in exchange for supporting investment through a Fifa subsidiary; Norway also cited concerns over tournament awards, a Fifa peace prize for Donald Trump, and the lifting of Folarin Balogun’s World Cup ban after a call from Trump.
- Norway urges Gianni Infantino to resign.
- Mexico and Conmebol publicly support him.
- The dispute centres on governance and private World Cup investment.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Infantino's supporters argue that procedural fairness and democratic principle demand that any leadership change follow FIFA's constitutional requirements, which mandate a vote of all 211 member associations rather than capitulation to pressure from individual federations. They contend that Infantino has legitimately expanded revenues and increased payments to members, including the $40m offers, and that isolated controversial decisions—whether concerning tournament structure or specific player matters—should not override the backing he retains from major confederations like Conmebol and Mexico. From this perspective, removing a sitting leader requires more than criticism; it demands respect for institutional process and the demonstrated will of the broader membership.
The case against
Critics argue that Infantino has forfeited the trust essential to lead a global institution through a troubling pattern of decisions suggesting compromised judgment and misplaced priorities. The abandoned investment proposal, the FIFA peace prize for Donald Trump, and the swift reversal of Folarin Balogun's World Cup ban following Trump's intervention collectively raise serious questions about governance integrity and susceptibility to inappropriate external influence. Supporters of his resignation contend that restoring FIFA's credibility requires principled leadership to step aside voluntarily rather than forcing a divisive formal vote, allowing the organisation to move past these governance concerns and reassert its independence from political pressure.