CONMEBOL issued a statement on Thursday criticizing FIFA's recent "repeatedly unilateral" decisions and stating that it would not support any practice that ignores established mechanisms.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino and FIFA are in a difficult position these days. Following UEFA, AFC, and CONCACAF, CONMEBOL has also publicly criticized FIFA's recent actions.
In a statement released Thursday, CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation) said the federation is “unanimously concerned about repeated unilateral actions taken without dialogue or institutional mechanisms for handling such situations.” CONMEBOL also lamented that these controversies arise shortly after the 2026 World Cup.
CONMEBOL (South American Football Confederation) has emphasized that "football is above all else," sending a clear signal to Gianni Infantino that they will not support his re-election as FIFA president next year. The statement reads: "The deadline for submitting nominations for FIFA presidency is November 19, 2026 (Beijing time). Following this, the FIFA Congress will elect the next leader through a vote by the 211 member associations, whose term will also include organizing the 2030 FIFA Centennial World Cup. Therefore, CONMEBOL will not support any actions or procedures that disregard or deviate from these established mechanisms."
This statement from CONMEBOL, supported by 10 member associations, could be a heavy blow to Infantino. CONMEBOL and its president, Dominguez, have historically been close supporters of Infantino, but his next term as FIFA president is becoming increasingly uncertain.
