Norway calls for Infantino’s resignation amid support from Mexico and Argentina

By Sanjay Menon — 7 August 2026 — 4 min read

Divisions Emerge Over FIFA Leadership

Norway has called for FIFA president Gianni Infantino to resign following his abandoned proposal to sell stakes in the World Cup to private investors. This stance goes further than the football associations of England, Wales, Croatia, and Albania, which have withdrawn their support for Infantino without explicitly demanding his resignation.

Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF), stated that Infantino lacks the institutional trust necessary to govern FIFA effectively. She indicated that the international football cooperation is experiencing significant issues and that the NFF would ask the FIFA president to resign during their discussions with FIFA.

Klaveness, a qualified lawyer, outlined several concerns the Norwegian FA has raised with FIFA during her four-year tenure. These include questions regarding the awarding of tournaments, the inaugural FIFA peace prize given to US President Donald Trump in December, and the reversal of a ban for American forward Folarin Balogun during the recent World Cup, which followed a phone call from Trump.

Confederations Take Differing Stances

While Norway and several European nations have expressed strong opposition, Mexico and Argentina have publicly backed Infantino. The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) has diverged from its regional governing body, Concacaf, to support Infantino’s leadership. Concacaf had previously called for a comprehensive review of Infantino’s presidency after the aborted plans to sell World Cup stakes.

The FMF’s statement emphasised its belief in institutional integrity and respect for governance processes, endorsing Infantino’s call to continue developing football for the benefit of its 211 member associations. This support from 2026 World Cup co-hosts Mexico comes amidst broader calls for Infantino’s resignation.

Similarly, the Argentina Football Association (AFA), runners-up in the 2026 World Cup, praised Infantino for acknowledging and apologising for his “errors.” The AFA described his decade-long tenure as FIFA president as focused on global football development and institutional strength, built on a clear, stable, and transparent governance model.

The AFA’s statement highlighted the administration’s decision to withdraw a project that generated more uncertainties than certainties, and commended the acceptance of errors and the apology conveyed to FIFA’s member associations. It also reaffirmed its belief in continuing to work under Infantino’s leadership to further develop inclusive football.

Global Support and Opposition

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has also unanimously reaffirmed its support for Infantino. This provides a significant bloc of votes, as CAF comprises 54 of FIFA’s 211 member associations. CAF president Patrice Motsepe welcomed FIFA’s pledge to review the processes that led to the controversy surrounding the aborted World Cup commercial rights sale.

Motsepe stressed the importance of good governance and transparency in global football, committing to continued collaboration with FIFA, its member associations, and other confederations. This support from Africa offers some relief to Infantino, who has faced widespread criticism for his abandoned plan to establish the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

In contrast, Uefa, European football’s governing body, and Concacaf have expressed strong opposition. Uefa has stated it has lost confidence in Infantino, characterising the FFE proposal as a “shabby, back room, opaque deal.” There is a possibility that European teams could boycott the World Cup if Uefa’s conditions are not met, despite the withdrawal of Infantino’s plan.

Concacaf described Infantino’s proposal as indicative of leadership that no longer prioritises football, citing it as an instance of poor governance and a pattern of missteps. However, unlike Uefa, Concacaf did not explicitly state a loss of confidence in the FIFA president. Before the proposal’s withdrawal, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) had expressed solidarity with Uefa and Concacaf in their opposition to the plans.

Upcoming Presidential Election

Infantino is hoping to be elected for a fourth term as FIFA president. Although the maximum tenure under FIFA statutes is three four-year terms, his first term, which began in 2016 after replacing Sepp Blatter, lasted only three years. He successfully argued that this initial term should not count, allowing him to stand for re-election.

Infantino was re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023. The deadline for candidates to be put forward, along with at least five letters of support from member associations, is 18 November. The election, conducted by secret ballot, is scheduled to take place at the 77th FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 March.

If two candidates contest the election, a simple majority of the 211 member associations is required to win. If there are three or more candidates, 75% of votes are needed for an outright win; otherwise, the candidate with the fewest votes is removed, and another ballot is held until only two candidates remain, requiring a simple majority.

Infantino has historically built support by travelling globally to meet with member associations. When elected in 2016, he mentioned a budget of €500,000 (£430,000) from Uefa to fund flights for lobbying votes. His investment programme, FIFA Forward 3.0, which provides funding to national associations, concludes in December.

Source: bbc.com