A number of Concacaf countries are considering formally removing their support for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, potentially following Europe's lead. All 41 members of Concacaf, which represents North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, are understood to have submitted letters of endorsement for Infantino's re-election campaign before the World Cup. However, many are now seriously considering withdrawing these endorsements.
Finland publicly withdrew its letter of support last Thursday, becoming the first of FIFA's 211 member associations to do so. The FA of Wales followed suit on Monday, with its chair, Laura McAllister, having proposed a World Cup boycott at a UEFA meeting last week. The FA is also understood to have written to FIFA, withholding its backing for Infantino.
Concacaf held an emergency meeting last Friday, where attendees reported that all members are strongly aligned with UEFA, which has been vocal in its calls for Infantino to depart. Several countries reportedly pledged to withdraw their backing for Infantino during this meeting, with some possibly having already done so privately.
A potential challenge for Concacaf is that four of its members – the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica – are bidding to host the 2031 Women’s World Cup. This decision is pending approval by FIFA at an extraordinary general meeting in November. The United States Soccer Federation is understood to be unhappy with Infantino, particularly regarding the backlash from his dealings with Donald Trump over the Folarin Balogun affair, but may face political sensitivities in taking action.
Another complicating factor is that Concacaf president Victor Montagliani has been widely mentioned as a potential candidate to challenge Infantino in next March's presidential election. While Montagliani has called for a review of FIFA's governance, he has not yet decided whether to stand, stating last month that his priority is re-election as Concacaf president next year.
While Concacaf appears united, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which previously supported UEFA's opposition to Infantino's proposed World Cup sell-off, seems to have splintered. Financial powerhouses Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have publicly backed Infantino, along with smaller nations such as Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Kuwait, and Bhutan. Most of the AFC's 47 members, including Saudi Arabia, have remained silent, leaving it unclear if the opposing factions have enough support for a genuine electoral contest.