The Mexican Football Federation isn't backing Gianni Infantino out of loyalty. According to journalist Martín del Palacio, the FMF is supporting the embattled FIFA president because he allegedly promised Mexico something it wants badly: a permanent move from Concacaf to Conmebol.
That's not a minor administrative reshuffle. It would be one of the most significant realignments in football's continental structure in two decades — and it would fundamentally change what Mexican football looks like at every level.
Why Mexico wants out of Concacaf
The relationship between the FMF and Concacaf has quietly collapsed. Mexico's exclusion from Concacaf statements — and the confederation's absence from Mexico's — isn't accidental. Tensions escalated when Mexican clubs and El Tri began competing in South America, and then hardened further when Concacaf moved to block both the national team and Liga MX sides from Copa América, Copa Libertadores, and Copa Sudamericana participation.
At that point, the relationship became transactional at best and adversarial at worst. Conmebol offers better competition, more prestige, and — critically — a more attractive commercial landscape. The motive isn't hard to follow.
There's a World Cup calculation here too. If Infantino gets his expanded 64-team tournament through, Conmebol would receive additional qualifying berths. Mexico, which has reached every World Cup since 1994, would need to earn its place in a far more competitive pool — but the math still works if the spots increase proportionally. The risk is manageable. The upside is a permanent seat at a stronger table.
The 2029 Club World Cup is also on the table
Mexico also wants to host the 2029 Club World Cup, still without a confirmed host despite Morocco emerging as a rival candidate. The FMF's warm relationship with Infantino is unlikely to hurt that bid.
The precedent for a confederation switch exists. In 2006, Australia left the Oceania Football Confederation to join the Asian Football Confederation — a move that reshaped qualifying dynamics across two continents and ultimately worked out well for the Socceroos. Mexico is essentially angling for the same escape hatch, two decades later.
Whether Infantino survives the current pressure around his leadership will determine whether any of this happens. But the FMF has clearly decided where its bet sits.
