As several European football associations have withdrawn their support, and with FIFA President Gianni Infantino facing the most serious crisis of trust during his tenure, the Argentine Football Federation has chosen to openly side with Infantino. On August 6th local time, the Argentine Football Federation issued a statement that not only acknowledged Infantino's work over the past decade, but also clearly stated that FIFA should continue to be led by him in the future.
The Argentine Football Association expressed its utmost respect to Gianni Infantino at the beginning. Representatives of the association and its executive committee stated that they strongly support Infantino's management work over the past decade. They believe that under his leadership, global football development was prioritized, and a solid institutional foundation was established based on a clear, stable, and transparent governance model.
Regarding the project that has caused controversy in the international football world recently, the Argentine Football Association acknowledges the decision by FIFA management to withdraw it. The statement says that since its inception, this project has created ‘far more uncertainties than certainty’ within the football community.
The Argentine Football Association also acknowledged that the FIFA management has taken seriously the mistakes that occurred during the project's implementation, and issued a apology to 211 member associations. The statement stated that giving priority to governance norms is the core foundation for maintaining good relations between FIFA and its member associations, as well as those of various continental football associations.
The statement also stated that, as the Argentine Football Federation had previously indicated, the work led by Infantino has promoted profound changes within FIFA. This has opened the organization’s doors to all member associations and confederations, allowing all parties to promote the continued development of football at various levels and in various disciplines through honest and direct dialogue.
In the view of the Argentine Football Federation, this transformation is based on a transparent governance model, respect for the organizational structure, and adherence to democratic procedures. These core principles enable the football community to work together as one, move forward with determination, continuously improve both at the competitive and institutional levels, thereby enhancing the quality of life for millions of football enthusiasts.
Therefore, given that the next FIFA Congress is approaching, the Argentine Football Federation reaffirms that it should continue under the leadership of Inzaghi, constantly promoting the development of football and making it more inclusive and excellent.
Argentina Football Federation Statement
This is also the first major public endorsement by a football association for Gianni Infantino, following the opposition from several countries in recent times.
Argentina Football Federation president Claudio Tapia has maintained close relations with Inzaggi. In April this year, Tapia attended the CONMEBOL council meeting, where ten member associations of CONMEBOL announced their unanimous support for Inzaggi to run for the position of FIFA president. The Argentine Football Federation subsequently released a statement on its official website, stating that all parties recognized Inzaggi's role in promoting the development of world football.
On the eve of the World Cup, Tapia also publicly posted a photo with Ignatiño, along with the caption "Always standing by your side." Argentine media at the time noted that this statement was widely seen as a clear signal of political and organizational support from the Argentine Football Federation to Ignatiño.
However, as the World Cup commercial rights sale plan led by Gianni Infantino has caused a backlash, attitudes in the international football community have quickly divided.
The controversy stems from FIFA’s plan to establish a commercial entity called “FIFA Forward Enterprises” and to sell part of the commercial rights for events like the World Cup to external investors. The plan originally intended to raise approximately $4.2 billion, but it has been criticized for potentially turning the World Cup into an “investment product” controlled by private capital. Additionally, the entire decision-making process lacked transparency, and many member associations did not receive adequate consultation beforehand.
UEFA and its 55 member associations took the lead in collectively opposing the plan, demanding that FIFA completely withdraw it. They also pledged that they would no longer sell the rights to core events like the World Cup to private investors. The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Football Associations and the Asian Football Confederation also expressed opposition or serious concerns regarding the plan. Under pressure from the boycott, Infantino ultimately announced the abandonment of the plan. FIFA subsequently apologized to its member associations for the mistakes made in the decision-making and communication process.
The withdrawal plan did not calm the storm. The Welsh Football Association was the first to announce that it would no longer support Innocenti's re-election. Football associations in Serbia and Sweden followed suit. The English Football Association also joined the group that withdrew its support. The Dutch Football Association clearly stated that they would not vote in favor of Innocenti in the next FIFA president election, while the German Football Association said they had never promised to endorse his re-election.
UEFA stated that even though FIFA has withdrawn its related proposals, its boycott stance remains valid. UEFA believes that FIFA has not provided any binding guarantees, and therefore cannot ensure that similar commercialization plans will not recur in the future. As a result, UEFA's trust in the current leadership has not been restored.
Compared to the “turning over” of several European football associations, the Argentine Football Association, along with some South American, African, and Asian football associations, remain important supporters of Gianni Infantino. On August 6th, the Confederation of African Football announced that its 54 member associations unanimously supported Infantino to continue as FIFA president. The Confederation of African Football holds more than a quarter of FIFA’s 211 member votes, making it a crucial stronghold for Infantino’s stable position as FIFA president.
According to the plan, the election of a new FIFA president will take place in March 2027. Although there are increasing voices opposing Gianni Infantino, no major candidates have officially announced their candidacy yet. With traditional allies such as Argentina and the Confederation of African Football continuing to support Infantino, it remains to be seen whether this controversy will be enough to shake Infantino’s chances of re-election.
