Showing posts with label CONCACAF. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CONCACAF. Show all posts

Saturday, 22 August 2026

INFANTINO DEFIES FIFA VICE PRESIDENT'S REQUEST TO STAY AWAY FROM CARIBBEAN YOUTH TOURNAMENT

FIFA president Gianni Infantino made a rare public appearance in the Caribbean despite a request from vice president Victor Montagliani to abstain as pressure mounts over his failed plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors.


File photo: FIFA president Gianni Infantino is seen prior to the World Cup semifinal soccer match between France and Spain in Arlington, Texas, near Dallas, Tuesday, July 14, 2026. © Eric Gay, AP


Gianni Infantino defied a request by one of his FIFA vice presidents to stay away from an Under-14 soccer event in the Caribbean and instead made a rare public appearance during the global furor over his failed plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors.

On Saturday, Infantino posted photos on his Instagram account showing the FIFA president meeting political and soccer officials from the Dominican Republic on the sidelines of a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) youth tournament in the Punta Cana resort.

On Friday, Infantino had been asked not to go by Victor Montagliani, the Canadian president of Miami-based continental soccer body CONCACAF, to avoid being a distraction from the soccer games.

“I believe that considering the governance crisis surrounding FIFA as a result of your controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, the media will focus on this situation,” Montagliani wrote in an emailed letter seen by The Associated Press, “which will unfortunately significantly take away from the technical nature of the CFU youth competition.”

“As such, I respectfully ask you in the name of football to reconsider your attendance as it will unfortunately undermine the technical nature of this important youth development activity,” Montagliani wrote.

FIFA declined to comment on the Montagliani request, though noted it directly funds regional bodies like the CFU with up to $5 million from each four-year World Cup cycle.

Montagliani has aligned with fellow FIFA vice presidents Aleksander Ceferin from European body UEFA and Asian Football Confederation president Sheik Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in seeking to end Infantino’s increasingly executive presidency now in its 11th year.

They accused Infantino two weeks ago of “deception” in secretly planning over the past year to spin off FIFA’s multi-billion dollar commercial activities to a subsidiary 20% owned by investors led by Joshua Kushner.

FIFA declined to comment on the Montagliani request, though noted it directly funds regional bodies like the CFU with up to $5 million from each four-year World Cup cycle.

Montagliani has aligned with fellow FIFA vice presidents Aleksander Ceferin from European body UEFA and Asian Football Confederation president Sheik Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in seeking to end Infantino’s increasingly executive presidency now in its 11th year.

They accused Infantino two weeks ago of “deception” in secretly planning over the past year to spin off FIFA’s multi-billion dollar commercial activities to a subsidiary 20% owned by investors led by Joshua Kushner.

Infantino withdrew the project on Aug. 1 amid a global backlash by soccer leaders and fans, and hours after his own chief operating officer published stinging criticism of the proposal and his leadership style in a statement to the AP. The Zurich-based COO, Kevin Lamour, was fired this week.

Caribbean member federations are seen as potential supporters for Infantino to peel away from their CONCACAF leadership. South American body CONMEBOL has backed Infantino as its best path to hosting more games at the 2030 World Cup it wants expanded from 48 teams to 64.

The FIFA leader has not taken questions publicly since the $20 billion FFE project was revealed July 28 by British daily The Times, and on Friday in Punta Cana he evaded a reporter from British broadcaster Sky News.

Asked by Sky reporter James Matthews if he had betrayed the sport and should resign, Infantino said “Thank you so much” and made quips about both men being bald.

Infantino is aiming to be re-elected for a fourth and final term in office through 2031 at the FIFA election congress next March in Rabat, Morocco. FIFA has set Nov. 18 as a deadline for would-be candidates to enter the race.

- FRANCE 24 with AP

Monday, 10 August 2026

FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO ACCUSED OF 'DECEPTION' AS UEFA, CONCACAF, AND AFC LAUNCH SENSATIONAL JOINT ATTACK

 

Getty


FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing the most significant threat to his leadership yet after three of the world’s most powerful football confederations launched a scathing joint attack. In a move that has sent shockwaves through the global game, UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC have officially accused the governing body of "deception" following the fallout of a plan to sell off commercial rights to the World Cup.

Infantino accused of abandoning duty

The civil war at the heart of world football has reached a boiling point as UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC issued a searing open letter directed at Infantino. The document, signed by the presidents and general secretaries of the three continental bodies, pulls no punches in its assessment of the current FIFA administration.

In a direct shot at Infantino’s personal conduct, the three confederations suggest that Infantino has prioritised personal power over the collective interests of the member associations, stating: "When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned."

It continued: "Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding - or demanding - power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it."


Getty


The FFE controversy

The root of the anger lies in what letter described as a "profound failure of judgement" regarding the FFE project. They specifically criticised Infantino's conduct during a meeting in Rabat, Morocco, where he allegedly shut out FIFA Council members and member associations, choosing instead to summon only senior staff employed directly by FIFA.

The letter also makes it clear that FIFA’s recent admissions of procedural mistakes regarding the FFE process do not go nearly far enough to repair the damage done. The letter added: "It did not acknowledge that the proposal itself was inherently wrong. There remains no recognition that attempting to sell an interest in the FIFA World Cup was a profound failure of judgement.

"Not just a procedural misstep, but a fundamental breach of trust with the very institutions FIFA exists to serve."

Despite FIFA committing to a report for the next Council meeting in October, the three confederations are demanding a much more rigorous and transparent investigation. They argue that the current internal review lacks the necessary independence to be credible. Their letter adds: "There is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness." The tension has reached a point where legal warnings have been issue, with UEFA explicitly warned FIFA that it must not delete or destroy any documents related to the abandoned plans for the private investment deal.

The threat of breakaway competitions

Perhaps the most significant development is the looming threat of a total fracture in the global football landscape. According to Telegraph, preliminary discussions have already taken place between UEFA, CONCACAF, and the AFC regarding the creation of breakaway competitions should Infantino remain in his post. While the parties have not yet provided specific details on what these tournaments would look like or when they might begin, the mere mention of such a move serves as a nuclear option in their standoff with FIFA.

UEFA has been the most vocal in its opposition, previously threatening a boycott of all FIFA competitions. Despite FIFA's attempts to defend Infantino's record, the European governing body insists that these defences "change nothing" regarding their potential refusal to participate in future World Cups or other FIFA-sanctioned events.


Getty


A divided house and upcoming tests

However, despite the strength of the joint letter, the opposition to Infantino is not entirely unanimous within the confederations themselves. While the leadership of CONCACAF and the AFC have signed the letter, several of their member nations have already publicly declared their support for the current FIFA president. In North America, Mexico has come out in support of Infantino, while in Asia, eight countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Kuwait, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Bhutan, have officially backed him.

The first true test of this brewing rebellion is less than a month away. The FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup is scheduled to begin in Poland, featuring five European nations, including England. While UEFA has floated the idea of a boycott, the implementation remains a logistical and political minefield. France has already indicated that they still plan to compete in the tournament, as per BBC, highlighting the potential for cracks in the unified front.

- Muhammad Zaki

Sunday, 2 August 2026

UEFA READY TO OUST FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO WITH NO-CONFIDENCE MOTION: REPORT

UEFA is reportedly prepared to trigger an emergency no-confidence vote against Infantino if he does not resign, with all 55 of the European governing body's member associations understood to be willing to support his removal.


FIFA president Gianni Infantino is reportedly facing the prospect of a no-confidence motion from UEFA.© Getty


FIFA president Gianni Infantino is reportedly facing the prospect of a no-confidence motion from UEFA after world football's governing body was forced to abandon its controversial proposal to sell a stake in the commercial rights of the FIFA World Cup and other competitions. The latest development comes amid growing scrutiny of FIFA's leadership following the withdrawal of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project, which had drawn strong opposition from UEFA, several continental confederations and senior figures within FIFA itself.

According to a report in The Telegraph, UEFA is prepared to trigger an emergency no-confidence vote against Infantino if he does not resign, with all 55 of the European governing body's member associations understood to be willing to support his removal. Under FIFA's statutes, UEFA can reportedly initiate such a motion with the backing of 43 member associations.

UEFA on Saturday welcomed FIFA's decision to scrap the proposal but launched a scathing attack on the organisation's leadership and governance.

In a strongly-worded statement, UEFA said FIFA's plan to sell a stake in its competitions, including the World Cup, into private hands had been unanimously rejected by its member associations and opposed by football stakeholders across the globe.

Describing the withdrawal as ‘a victory for the whole game', UEFA also declared that "football is not for sale" and thanked fans, clubs, leagues, players, national associations, confederations and political leaders who opposed the proposal.

The European body further claimed that the current FIFA leadership had "not only lost UEFA's confidence but also that of many other members of the football family", while accusing Infantino of failing to uphold his promises of transparency made when he was elected FIFA president in 2016.

The controversy centres around FIFA's proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a new commercial entity that would have managed the commercial rights of major FIFA competitions while allowing outside investors to acquire an equity stake. FIFA argued the initiative could significantly increase development funding for its member associations.

Infantino formally withdrew the proposal on Saturday, saying consultations had made it clear that the project had created divisions that were no longer in the best interests of football.

"Our purpose has always been, and will always be, to unite and improve," Infantino said while confirming that the proposal would not proceed.

The proposal had also prompted opposition from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), CONCACAF and several FIFA stakeholders. Former FIFA senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned in protest, while reports also suggested concerns had been raised internally over the project's transparency.

- IANS


Friday, 31 July 2026

PRIME MINISTER ANDY BURNHAM CALLS FOR 'WROND MAN' GIANNI INFANTINO TO BE REPLACED AS FIFA CHIEF

AFP


Prime Minister Andy Burnham has branded Gianni Infantino the wrong man to lead FIFA following widespread backlash over plans for private equity to sell stakes in the World Cup. Burnham condemned the controversial commercial proposals after a senior adviser resigned and key regional confederations united to oppose the governing body’s blueprint.

Burnham condemns Infantino leadership

Burnham has launched a stinging attack on Infantino’s leadership of FIFA following a wave of backlash against plans to commercialise the organisation. The resistance has intensified following the resignation of senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro and formal opposition from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), UEFA, and CONCACAF. Burnham argued that Infantino’s attempt to sell off a stake in FIFA competitions to private investors represents a fundamentally flawed decision for the future of world football.


SW Pix

Prime Minister demands change

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Burnham openly condemned the proposed private equity scheme. He said: "This was an outrageous suggestion," before questioning Infantino's suitability to remain in charge of FIFA: "The idea that it could even be brought forward shows that, in my view, [he] is the wrong man to lead the organisation."

Private equity blueprint rejected

Burnham's scathing critique reflects a broader global resistance, including a firm stance taken by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

In an official statement, the AFC rejected plans to establish the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) commercial subsidiary and stressed the necessity of preserving the integrity of football's premier tournament: "The Fifa World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all Confederations and the world's leading football nations.

"Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered."

-Adhe Makayasa

AFC 'STANDS IN SOLIDARITY' WITH UEFA AND CONCACAF OVER FIFA WORLD CUP PLANS

Asian governing body joins growing opposition to Infantino's controversial private investment scheme



The Asian Football Federation (AFC) has become the latest governing body to come out in opposition against Fifa's controversial private investment scheme.

Fifa insist it will be pushing ahead with a consultation process about whether to sell off stakes in the World Cup and its other tournaments to private investors, despite widespread criticism of the proposal

The pushback since football's world governing body revealed its plan to sell a 20 per cent stake in a subsidiary company set up to run Fifa's competitions has been relentless.

And now the AFC has joined the growing chorus of disapproval which had already reached fever pitch on Thursday when Uefa, European football's governing body, announced that they will boycott the World Cup – and all Fifa's competitions – if the plan of president Gianni Infantino was not scrapped.

“The AFC stands in solidarity with Uefa and Concacaf in expressing  concerns over Fifa’s proposal to introduce private investment into [its] flagship competitions and the decision-making process around Fifa Forward Enterprise [FFE],” it said in a statement.

AFC stands in solidarity with UEFA and CONCACAF following recent developments surrounding the proposed establishment of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).https://t.co/k7MjAvWOhX

— AFC (@theafcdotcom) July 31, 2026

“The fact that the situation has reached the point where the real possibility of a Fifa World Cup boycott has entered public discourse should concern everyone who cares about the future of our game. Football should never have been placed in such a position.

“Against this backdrop, and in light of the clear positions expressed by Uefa and Concacaf, as well as the unprecedented divisions that have emerged across the football world, the AFC believes that the proposed FFE cannot realistically achieve the necessary broad consensus and unity required to move forward.

“The Fifa World Cup is the pinnacle of global football and derives its strength from the participation of all Confederations and the world’s leading football nations. Any proposal that risks undermining the unity and universal character of the competition must be reconsidered.”

The Confederation of African Football has said it will be hosting meeting of its executive committee next week to “assess and evaluate” the proposals, while South American governing body Conmebol has yet to comment publicly.

Uefa have been the provided the most vocal opposition, saying on Wednesday Fifa were using football “to enrich themselves and their friends” and 24 hours later they made the strength of their protest even more clear.

“Uefa and its national associations will not participate in Fifa competitions,” it said in a lengthy statement that would accuse Fifa of “governance by intimidation”.

“Some things are simply too important to sell,” Uefa said in a statement on Thursday. The Fifa World Cup belongs to football. It always will. And so long as Europe has a voice, it will never be for sale.”

Uefa said there was no “meaningful consultation” before Fifa announced its plan. “This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of Fifa's duty as the custodian of world football,” it added.


FIFA logo. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect


Despite all the anger, Fifa are digging their heels in, saying earlier on Friday that they will be continuing with an “open and democratic consultation” process with all its 211 Member Associations (MA).

“We have heard the feedback provided by the respective confederations in relation to the proposed establishment of Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) and would like to address the issues that have surfaced since the initial media reporting on Tuesday,” it said in a defiant statement.

“We respect the feedback and concern aired in public and reaffirm our commitment to an open and democratic consultation.

“⁠Our planned consultation process was disrupted by incorrect media reports. We will proceed with this consultation process to ensure that each MA has the ability to express its vote based on facts.”

Devastating blow for Infantino after Asian football confederation issues damning statement. pic.twitter.com/4aG03Lu3ng

— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) July 31, 2026

The statement also goes on to say that: “Nobody is selling football. This is not something Fifa would ever entertain.

“Everyone has the right to express their opposition and to seek further clarification but no single entity can claim to represent all 211 MAs around the world. Each MA should be allowed to review the proposal and have a say in shaping their own future. These are the democratic principles of Fifa.”

Fifa also insist that each MA will receive $20 million of Fifa Forward Development funding over the next four years “irrespective of its individual support”.

“Without the support of the majority of MAs, Fifa's commercial activities would remain unchanged,” it added. “FFE would not be established.

“These components represent the starting point of the consultation process and are open for discussion as part of that process. This can include approval, rejection or amendment in their entirety or individually.”

On Wednesday, Infantino had described the plan to create a $20 billion subsidiary as a proposal but “not an obligation”.

“It’s part of a democratic process – a consultation process – and, above all, it is an opportunity but not an obligation, and, as I said, it kicks off the consultation process,” Infantino said in a video released by Fifa.

- The National


Friday, 19 June 2026

Wednesday, 22 October 2025

LALIGA PULLS OUT OF MIAMI FIXTURE CITING 'UNCERTAINTY' IN SPAIN

 


October 21 – Spain’s LaLiga has officially cancelled its proposed Villareal-Barcelona regular season match in Miami on December 20 after “conversations” with its US promoter Relevent Sports, and citing “uncertainty that has arisen in Spain over the past few weeks”.

Opposition to playing the game in Miami had met with widespread condemnation from football’s stakeholders globally and in the last few days from the Spanish player’s union and individual players who said the match would have damaged the competitive integrity of the league in favour of Barcelona as Villareal is a tough away game for any team in the league.

In a remarkable attack on the governing bodies of countries outside Spain, LaLiga said: “The project fully complied with all federative regulations and did not affect the integrity of the competition, as confirmed by the competent institutions responsible for ensuring compliance, which opposed it for other reasons.”

The statement is at best a mis-leading half truth, in that the game was never fully sanctioned. While the Spanish FA (RFEF) meekly gave its sanction and UEFA ‘reluctantly’ did the same, neither the US Soccer Federation (USSF)or Concacaf, the two most important governing bodies covering the game in the US, where LaLiga and Relevent needed local permission to play, had not given their go-ahead.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas had said to the world’s media at a conference 10 days ago that getting the sanctions was purely an administrative process.

His comment was immediately met with a terse statement from Concacaf saying that the application had to go through due process and that it was conducting a review that involved consulting all of its stakeholders, as well as those in other regions. That process would be completed before any decision would be made, said Concacaf.

While the USSF had remained silent on sanctioning, Concacaf had neither declined or approved the application but had remained focussed on football’s eco-system both in its own region and member nation, where focus is on growing domestic leagues, their clubs and regional club competition. Thought was also being given to the impact and future consequences for stakeholders outside the Concacaf region.

UEFA’s decision to sanction the match was made on the basis that FIFA’s rules lacked legal clarity and hence felt pressured into sanctioning a game they didn’t want to. FIFA is currently undergoing a legal review of its statutes in this respect.

In its statement LaLiga also pointed the finger at the Premier League and UEFA and its Champions League (for which UEFA currently has Relevent as its new sales partner), saying that they “continue to expand their reach and ability to generate revenue, initiatives like this are essential to ensure the sustainability and growth of Spanish soccer.”

The difference is that neither the Premier League or UEFA are trying to play games in the US backyard for commercial gain. LaLiga is essentially admitting that it has been unable to compete on an equal footing commercially with its own product in the broadcast media market.

“Holding an official match outside our borders would have been a decisive step in the global growth of the competition, strengthening the international presence of clubs, the positioning of players, and the visibility of Spanish soccer in a strategic market such as the United States…” said LaLiga.

“Renouncing such opportunities hinders the generation of new income, limits clubs’ capacity to invest and compete, and reduces the international projection of the entire Spanish soccer ecosystem.”

LaLiga had put tickets on pre-sale for the December fixture. No figures have been released on how many tickets have been sold, but the assumption is that it is not enough to continue to battle through the discontent of football’s North American and global opinion.

Renouncing such opportunities hinders the generation of new income, limits clubs’ capacity to invest and compete, and reduces the international projection of the entire Spanish soccer ecosystem.

In a separate statement, Relevent said it had informed La Liga of the need “to postpone” the match, arguing that the uncertainty in Spain had left “insufficient time to properly execute an event of this scale”.

For Relevent it is perhaps a fortunate end to what was increasingly looking like an uncomfortable problem, and a potentially growing conflict of interest, taking into account their new Champions League contract with UEFA

- Paul Nicholson 

Wednesday, 12 February 2025

MEXICAN UNDER-17 NATIONAL TEAM CLAIMS SECOND STRAIGHT VICTORY IN CONCACAF CHAMPIONSHIP WITH DOMINANT PERFORMANCE WIN OVER BELIZE


The Mexican Under-17 national team continues its unbeaten run in the CONCACAF Championship, securing a convincing 3-0 victory against Belize.

On Tuesday, at the Mexican Football Federation facilities in Toluca, the team, under the guidance of Carlos Cariño, achieved their second consecutive triumph by a substantial margin, following an impressive 8-0 rout of Dominica in their tournament opener. With three more goals against Belize, has now netted a total of 11 goals in just two matches.

In their debut match of the Championship, players from Chivas showcased their talent, leading the Tricolor to victory. This time, it was Luis Gamboa of Atlas who opened the scoring against Belize, converting a penalty in the 37th minute.

Mexico dominated the match with relentless attacking play, but Central American goalkeeper Erick Rodríguez made several crucial saves to keep the scoreline from escalating further. However, he could do little to stop a stunning strike from Máximo Reyes, who doubled the lead just four minutes into the second half, finding the net in the 49th minute.

Mexico dominated the match with relentless attacking play, but Central American goalkeeper Erick Rodríguez made several crucial saves to keep the scoreline from escalating further. However, he could do little to stop a stunning strike from Máximo Reyes, who doubled the lead just four minutes into the second half, finding the net in the 49th minute.

Jorge Sánchez, who had just come on as a substitute, added the final touch eleven minutes later, sealing the victory with the third goal in the 72nd minute.

Following this win, the young Tricolor sits atop Group C with six points and has yet to concede a goal. It’s worth noting that the Mexicans are determined to secure their qualification for the World Cup in this category, set to take place in Qatar this November.

- Footboom1.com

Tuesday, 5 December 2023

COMENBOL REVEALS 14 HOST U.S. CITIES FOR.2024

 

Reuters 


Next year's Copa America will be held across 14 U.S. cities, culminating with the final at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) said on Monday.

The first semi-final will be at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey with the other at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, while quarter-final action will be in Arlington, Houston, Las Vegas and Glendale.

Monday, 3 July 2023

2023 CONCACAF GOLD CUP | MEXICO VS. QATAR


 

JESUS FERREIRA MAKES USMNT HISTORY WITH BACK-TO-BACK HAT TRICKS

Imago Images 

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Striker Jesus Ferreira scored three first-half goals against Trinidad and Tobago to become the first United States men's national team player to score consecutive hat tricks in international competition.

The six combined goals came in an 88-minute period at the Gold Cup, with the first three coming on Wednesday against St. Kitts and Nevis in St. Louis, as the U.S. cruised past T&T 6-0 to win its group on goal difference after finishing level on points with Jamaica in Group A.

"I'm happy. I'm excited," Ferreira said after the game. "Obviously, this is a team objective. I wouldn't be able to score goals without my teammates putting me in situations where I can score goals.

"So, from the beginning, we knew that this game was going to be intense. We have to bring the intensity, we have to be the team that can set the tempo and I think we did that."

Ferreira also became just the second player in USMNT history with three career hat tricks, joining the team's joint all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan.

No other player, regardless of country, has multiple career Gold Cup hat tricks, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

"When I see his movement and his confidence in the penalty box, you can tell that the game has slowed down for him," U.S. interim coach B.J. Callaghan said. "All of the work that he's doing, leading our line defensively, dropping down, helping buildup play, for me he's having a really complete tournament."

Ferreira gave the U.S. the lead in the 14th minute from a DeJuan Jones assist and doubled the lead in the 38th minute before a penalty in stoppage time completed the hat trick.

Cade Cowell, Gianluca Busio and Brandon Vazquez all scored second-half goals for the U.S. to finish off the 6-0 victory and the team will now await the results from Group D on Tuesday to see who it will play in the quarterfinals.

 - Kyle Bonagura

Saturday, 24 June 2023