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Will the circle turn? Infantino is not as alone as he might seem
🇸🇮 Slovenia /Sports

Will the circle turn? Infantino is not as alone as he might seem

From Delo · () Slovenian

Translated from Slovenian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The presidents of the Argentine and Mexican football associations will support FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the upcoming congress.
  • This support comes despite their continental confederations expressing disagreement with Infantino's policies.
  • Norway has publicly called for Infantino's resignation, highlighting a growing divide within international football governance.

The presidents of the Argentine and Mexican football associations have declared their support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino ahead of the March elections, a move that is particularly noteworthy given their continental bodies' previous reservations. Both the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL), which includes Argentina, and CONCACAF, overseeing Mexico, had previously voiced concerns regarding Infantino's leadership and policies.

FMF supports President Infantino's call for football to continue developing for the benefit of all 211 FIFA member associations.

— Mexican Football FederationStating their support for Infantino's leadership and vision.

Despite these continental stances, both Argentina and Mexico have chosen to back Infantino directly. The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) stated it would not support any leadership change process outside FIFA's current institutional framework, emphasizing support for Infantino's vision of football development for all member associations. Argentina's association acknowledged that Infantino's initial plan to open World Cup access to private investors caused uncertainty and was a misstep, but they maintain that FIFA's global development work under his leadership has been based on a clear, stable, and transparent governance model.

Infantino also enjoys strong backing from the African continent, with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously endorsing his leadership. This support from Africa provides him with a significant bloc of allies in an increasingly fragmented global football landscape.

In the current circumstances, he does not have the institutional trust required for stable leadership of FIFA. There is no way back for Gianni Infantino.

— Lise KlavenessExplaining why Norway is calling for Infantino's resignation.

Conversely, European opposition is intensifying. The president of the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF), Lise Klaveness, directly called for Infantino's resignation, stating he lacks the necessary institutional trust to lead FIFA. Norway has been a vocal critic of Infantino's tenure for years, and Klaveness's public demand signals a hardening of European resistance to his continued leadership.

We will now demand the resignation of the FIFA president.

— Lise KlavenessAnnouncing Norway's official stance on Infantino's leadership.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Delo in Slovenian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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