The United States Soccer Federation, together with Canada Soccer and a coalition of regional confederations, has issued a stark joint statement demanding that FIFA overhaul its governance, transparency and accountability under President Gianni Infantino.
A united front across continents
The statement, signed by the presidents and general secretaries of Concacaf, the Asian Football Confederation and European football’s governing body, denounces Infantino’s recent push to privatize the World Cup as a betrayal of trust and a failure of judgment that has gone unacknowledged.
Among the signatories are Concacaf chief Victor Montagliani, Bahrain’s Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al‑Khalifa and UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin, all of whom also serve as FIFA vice presidents, underscoring the breadth of the dissent.
Political maneuvering within FIFA
A crisis meeting held in Rabat, Morocco, convened not with the full FIFA Council but only with the Management Committee, featuring figures such as Kevin Lamour and Arsène Wenger, who have previously voiced criticism of Infantino’s policies.
While most continental bodies have turned against the Swiss administrator, South American and African confederations continue to back him, a stance that includes Mexico’s federation, complicating any immediate move toward a leadership change.
Risks to upcoming tournaments
Concacaf’s Victor Montagliani is reportedly positioning himself for a future FIFA presidency bid, a prospect that would require five nominations by November 18 to secure a place on the upcoming Congress agenda.
European football’s governing body, UEFA, has threatened to boycott FIFA competitions unless it receives firm assurances that privatization attempts will not be revived, a warning that could affect the scheduled 2023 under‑20 World Cup in Poland.
Although Concacaf has not yet aligned with UEFA’s boycott threat, internal discussions about reorganizing the confederation’s structure remain in their infancy.