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Reuters

Mexico and Argentina have expressed their support for beleaguered Fifa president Gianni Infantino while Norway ⁠called for his resignation, saying that he no longer had the confidence of the football community.
The Swiss has been under pressure after three continents rejected his plan reported last week to seek private investment in a company that would run Fifa’s competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups.
He and Fifa apologised to national associations this week over how the plan was developed, but the members of Fifa’s management board at a meeting in Morocco on Wednesday said Infantino had their “full support” to continue.
Mexico’s football federation (FMF) has given its backing to Infantino, saying it joined his call to “collectively continue developing football for the benefit of all 211 member associations”.
The FMF said it “supports the leadership of President Infantino in continuing to promote the development of football through institutional strengthening”.
Mexico’s support comes after its continental confederation, Concacaf, issued a rebuke of Infantino last Saturday, accusing him of a “unilateral and egregious act of poor governance” in relation to the private investor plan, and calling for a full review of his leadership.
Argentina’s football association, the AFA, thanked Infantino for his 10 years of service and for the transformation of Fifa he had brought about, achieved they said through a “transparent governance model”.

Argentina is part of the South American confederation Conmebol, which is lobbying Fifa to expand the 2030 finals to 64 teams.
Conmebol said on Thursday it would not support any move to oust Infantino on an accelerated timetable, while the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) expressed its “unanimous support” for Infantino on Thursday.
He remains under extreme pressure, however, with European football’s governing body Uefa insisting it still intends to boycott Fifa competitions, having declared last week it had “lost confidence” in Infantino.
On Friday, Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) president Lise Klaveness said Infantino “does not have the institutional trust required to govern Fifa stably in the times we are in”.
“There is no going back for Gianni Infantino,” Klaveness told reporters following the NFF’s monthly board meeting. “The international ‌football cooperation is very much in trouble, and we must have a reason to get together now, and we want to ask the Fifa president to resign now.”
The Norwegians are hoping that other Uefa countries will row in behind their ‌call for Infantino to step down.
“We will see which other countries eventually join in, if that becomes the strategy from the Uefa board – we talk ‌to them a lot, and they have to manage that, and you will have ⁠to ask them ⁠the question. We are not going to ask for an extraordinary [Uefa board] meeting, we will ask him to resign in ‌our dialogue with Fifa,” Klaveness said.
The 45-year-old Klaveness, who is a qualified lawyer, began by going through a long list of ‌concerns that ‌the Norwegian FA has expressed to Fifa during her tenure, which began in March 2022.
Among ‌them were questions around the awarding of tournaments, the inaugural Fifa peace prize that was awarded ⁠to United States President Donald Trump in December, and the overturning of a ban for American forward Folarin ⁠Balogun during the recent World Cup following a call from Trump.
As an outspoken critic of Infantino, Klaveness’ name has been put forward as one of the possible successors ‌to the Swiss-Italian administrator, but ‌she waved away speculation that she might stand for election.
“I register these names, and that my name is also mentioned, that is registered. It’s not a theme at all – we have no reason to comment on that or any other candidacy, nor are we ready for it,” she said.
World players’ union FIFPro has accused Infantino of a “profound abuse of presidential power” and demanded governance reforms, including a seat on the Fifa Council for a players’ representative and involvement in the review Fifa has promised into the handling of the private investor plan.
Members of the Fifa Council are also understood to be working to gather the 19-strong majority needed to request Infantino to call a meeting where he can be held to account.
If they cannot reach a majority, or he refuses the request for a meeting, members plan to stage a “governance boycott” by ceasing to attend meetings, with the aim of paralysing Fifa operations.
The English and Welsh FAs are among a number of European federations who have formally withdrawn their support for Infantino’s candidacy for re-election at next year’s Fifa Congress in Morocco.


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Mexico, Argentina give backing to under-fire Infantino as Norway calls for him to resign

Norwegian Football Association president Lise Klaveness waved away speculation that she might stand for election for Fifa head. Photo: Reuters

Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia (left) watching the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina in Atlanta with Fifa head Gianni Infantino (right). Photo: AFP

Infantino lives to fight another day, but a full-blown football civil war is brewing

Gianni Infantino leaving Al-Madina Stadium in Rabat, Morocco, after a Women’s Africa Cup of Nations match that he attended after senior-level Fifa meeting on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Ex-Real Madrid star Luis Figo called for Gianni Infantino’s immediate resignation this week. Photo: dpa

Gianni Infantino attended a Women’s AFCON match with Mattias Grafstrom (left) on Wednesday. Photo: AP

Gianni Infantino with Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, who could be his only challenger next year. Photo: AFP

Uefa maintains boycott threat despite Infantino apology, African body backs Fifa boss

Fifa president Gianni Infantino (left) shares a light-hearted moment with Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe at the World Cup. Photo: AFP

Football Association of Norway president Lise Klaveness is expected to increase the pressure on Gianni Infantino during a speech on Friday. Photo: AFP

Sport

Football

Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness says ‘there is no trust in Infantino now’ and ‘there is no going back’


Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness says ‘there is no trust in Infantino now’ and ‘there is no going back’.


Fifa World Cup

Donald Trump

Uefa

Mexico, Argentina give backing to under-fire Infantino as Norway calls for him to resign

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness says ‘there is no trust in Infantino now’ and ‘there is no going back’

Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness says ‘there is no trust in Infantino now’ and ‘there is no going back’