Argentina's AFA publicly backs Gianni Infantino as FIFA probes national team after 2026 final

The Argentine Football Association (AFA) publicly backed FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Aug. 7, 2026, while Argentina's national team remains subject to a FIFA disciplinary investigation following the 2026 World Cup final. The endorsement arrives amid a governance crisis at FIFA and ongoing challenges to Infantino's leadership from UEFA.

In an official statement, the AFA praised Infantino's decade-long tenure and welcomed FIFA's decision to withdraw the contested commercialisation plan known as the FIFA Forward Enterprise project. The federation said it supported “the work carried out over the past 10 years, whose main pillars have been the development of football worldwide and institutional strength based on a clear, stable, and transparent governance model.” The AFA also acknowledged FIFA's decision to withdraw “a project that generated more uncertainty than certainty” and welcomed the governing body's acceptance of mistakes during the process.

The timing of the AFA's statement drew attention because it did not mention the ongoing disciplinary proceedings tied to incidents after the World Cup final, while FIFA's Disciplinary Committee continues to review the matter. The endorsement therefore intersected directly with disciplinary scrutiny of the national side. The AFA released its message through its official channels.

Argentina were frequently at the centre of refereeing debates during the tournament, with several contentious decisions involving Lionel Scaloni's team sparking discussion. Egyptian players and officials publicly alleged after the quarter-final against Egypt that the tournament had been tilted in Argentina's favour; FIFA never accepted those claims, and the statement notes no evidence has emerged to substantiate the allegations. That sequence of events contributed to wider scrutiny of the competition.

The AFA framed its support for Infantino as grounded in governance priorities, saying “Prioritizing governance standards is a fundamental pillar for strengthening good relations between FIFA, its member associations, and the confederations.” The federation added that “The transformation opened the doors of the organisation to all member associations and confederations so that, through frank and direct dialogue, all of us together can continue promoting football at all its levels and disciplines.” Those remarks accompanied praise for what the AFA described as a more inclusive organisation under Infantino.

With the Confederation of African Football also publicly backing Infantino, the statement underscored a split in world football over the FIFA presidency as UEFA has continued to challenge his leadership despite FIFA withdrawing the Forward Enterprise proposal. As UEFA and FIFA persist in their governance dispute, Argentina's endorsement represents an additional influential voice in Infantino's camp. The AFA's support arrives while questions about the World Cup and FIFA's governance continue to draw attention.

FIFA's Disciplinary Committee continues to review the proceedings related to incidents after the 2026 World Cup final, and the wider governance dispute between UEFA and FIFA remains unresolved. Argentina's public endorsement of Infantino therefore adds to the immediate political context surrounding both the disciplinary review and the broader contest over FIFA leadership.