UEFA and Concacaf in talks to expand Nations League as Infantino faces growing pressure to resign

UEFA has opened talks with Concacaf about expanding the Nations League beyond Europe, with an enlarged format potentially in place as early as the 2028-29 edition of the tournament. The discussions signal a deepening alliance between the two confederations that pointedly sidelines FIFA.

The negotiations follow a report by The Guardian and represent a significant step toward pan-continental competition organised independently of FIFA. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is also believed to be part of the dialogue, though with a view to joining at a later stage.

Adding Concacaf nations to the competition would not require additional space on the international match calendar. The league phase would run across the autumn 2028 windows, with finals scheduled for March and June 2029.

The move comes amid intensifying scrutiny of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, whose attempt to bring private investors into the management of the World Cup and other FIFA events has generated significant controversy. UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani are both understood to believe Infantino should resign rather than seek re-election.

Infantino is expected to attend a youth football event in the Dominican Republic this weekend, where he is likely to encounter Montagliani — widely regarded as a potential candidate for the FIFA presidency. Several Caribbean nations within Concacaf, including St Kitts & Nevis, Grenada, and Antigua and Barbuda, have already publicly declared their support for Infantino. The invitation to the event is understood to predate the private investor controversy.

Infantino has faced further criticism this week following the dismissal of FIFA’s Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour, who was sacked just two weeks after publicly accusing the FIFA president of “deceiving” staff over the failed sell-off plan.