Why is Mexico still supporting Gianni Infantino as FIFA president?
Why is Mexico still supporting Gianni Infantino as FIFA president?
Jon Arnold, USA TODAYMon, August 10, 2026 at 10:50 PM UTC
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Unity is the theme of the open letter signed by the presidents of Concacaf, UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation questioning the direction of FIFA under the leadership of president Gianni Infantino.
When U.S. Soccer put out its own statement, backing the letter, it also worked to show togetherness.
"U.S. Soccer, Canada Soccer, CFU (Caribbean Football Union) and UNCAF (Central American Football Union) stand together, along with our colleagues around the world, in calling for meaningful change that strengthens FIFA’s governance, transparency and accountability," the statement read.
Notably, the Mexican federation (FMF) was absent from that statement.
The only communication from the FMF thus far was an Aug. 6 statement "backing the leadership" of Infantino.
So, why is Mexico sticking with Infantino and FIFA's "old guard," even with the rest of its confederation asking for an evaluation of leadership?
We don't know the true motivations, but here are some factors to keep in mind:
The 2026 World Cup was a huge success for Mexico and the FMF
The expansion of the World Cup was a good thing for most member associations. It was cited as progress in the three-confederation letter, too.
But Mexico felt the success of the 2026 World Cup very directly. The tournament was good for the bottom line of Mexican soccer, bringing matches to three Mexican cities and seeing several teams put their base camps in Mexican cities. Most teams came away pleased with the Mexican hospitality and impressed by the facilities.
It also was huge for Mexico's reputation as a soccer nation, now the only country that has hosted matches at three Men's World Cups. Plenty of fans and soccer romantics suggested the Estadio Azteca should've even served as the venue for the final, if not a bigger knockout game than the round of 16 contest that served as its last hurrah.
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Mexico has ambitions to host the 2029 Club World Cup
The success of the World Cup in Mexico, plus the continued growth of Liga MX, means Mexico has big ambitions about continuing to put itself on the global soccer map. That includes working to host the next edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, which saw the first expanded edition take place in the U.S. in 2025.
Mexico is even seeking government support for the tournament, with president Claudia Sheinbaum saying the tourism department would be looking into the potential impact for the nation.
"We're going to see the conditions. They have to be favorable conditions for Mexico," Sheinbaum said in early July. "So, we're going to see, but I think it would be good for Mexico in general."
The Times of London reported last week that these aspirations were the biggest factor in Mexico splitting with its confederation and continuing to support Infantino as FIFA president.
Other rivals remain, including Brazil and Morocco, where Infantino held the crunch talks with his management team. Both are, of course, in regions that have thus far stayed behind Infantino.
Could Mexico's South American ambitions also be at play?
When looking at who the FMF is no longer aligning with, it's also worth looking at who the FMF now is aligning with. CONMEBOL, the governing body for soccer in South America, did not join the letter and has generally stuck behind Infantino. Colombia hosted the FIFA president at the inauguration of its new head of state, and CONMEBOL has stayed behind Infantino.
South America looms large for Mexican fans, many of whom wax nostalgic for the days when Mexican clubs were invited into South American club competitions like the Copa Libertadores. The Mexico national team is a frequently invited guest at the Copa América, South America's continental championship.
The podcast Desde El VAR, run by a group of veteran Mexican sports journalists, advanced this idea Monday, saying that Infantino would give Mexico the green light to join South American confederation CONMEBOL.
While uncommon, it is not unheard of for a nation to switch confederations. Australia moved from the Oceania Football Confederation to the Asian Football Confederation in 2006, though the move was agreed to by both the AFC members Australia would be joining and the OFC.
Whatever the reason, or if a confluence of factors are keeping Mexico's posture the same, it's clear that at the moment, Mexico is Infantino's only ally in the region. That's a position the North American nation hopes will reap big rewards in the future.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why is Mexico still supporting Gianni Infantino as FIFA president?
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