US Soccer needs just eight words to confirm where it stands on FIFA revolt
US Soccer needs just eight words to confirm where it stands on FIFA revolt
Joseph McBride Thu, July 30, 2026 at 10:05 PM UTC
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U.S. Soccer has joined its Concacaf members in rejecting FIFA's controversial World Cup proposal -Credit:Getty Images
The United States has joined the ongoing FIFA revolt by standing with its fellow Concacaf members after Gianni Infantino's proposal to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup to private investors.
FIFA President Infantino has been heavily criticized for his handling of the 2026 World Cup and lashed out on social media after the competition concluded. Infantino accused critics of spreading hate in a long Instagram post.
Infantino then announced plans to sell stakes in the World Cup, offering nations $40 million with an incentive of $20 million up front if they accepted by mid-September. However, UEFA strongly opposed the proposal and vowed to boycott FIFA competitions, and Concacaf has now joined the ongoing pushback.
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UEFA, the European soccer governing body, said its 55 member nations would boycott all FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, if the proposal remained active. It was a damning blow to Infantino as one of the most influential partners with elite soccer nations.
Concacaf then sided with UEFA and released a statement, to which U.S. Soccer announced its position of solidarity. When sharing the statement on X, the federation wrote, "U.S. Soccer stands with Concacaf and its members."
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The North American soccer governing body held a meeting with all 41 member associations on Thursday to discuss Infantino's proposal. While the overall proposal was questioned, there were also serious concerns about the manner in which it came about.
UEFA and Concacaf have now rejected the proposal -Credit:Getty Images
Concacaf members felt there was a lack of due process surrounding the proposal, with concerns over the very pressing deadline imposed by Infantino. In a statement, Concacaf wrote, "Concacaf is a confederation united by the love of our game, where football comes first.
"Guided by this philosophy over the past ten years we have built, from the ground up, an organization founded on service, transparent governance, and the long-term stewardship of football. History has shown FIFA and the football family what happens when the custodians of the game lose sight of these values.
"...The discussion reinforced the need for greater transparency and proper governance. For these reasons, Concacaf and its 41 Member Associations have rejected the proposal."
Infantino has been criticized for his role and association with Donald Trump -Credit:Getty Images
Concacaf then concluded by saying, "Concacaf reaffirms that football's future—and its greatest asset—must remain in the hands of our football family."
The revolt is damning for Infantino, as 96 members across UEFA and Concacaf have now rejected the proposal. That number is set to rise, meaning Infantino is losing control of the 211 member nations.
Infantino grew close to U.S. President Donald Trump throughout the World Cup process, but all three host nations, the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, rejected the proposal. Infantino's plan was to sell a stake in FIFA Forward Enterprises (FFE) that would raise $20 billion.
In return, influence over future World Cups, including broadcasting and commercial deals linked to the tournament, would be offered. The proposal was set to be bankrolled by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law.
Source: “AOL Sports”
