FIFA's president held off an internal revolt. Next up is a hotly contested election

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — FIFA president Gianni Infantino held off the potential of an internal revolt during a summit meeting in Morocco this week. A scathing response from European soccer's governing body on Thursday, however, showed that he still has a fight on his hands to hold onto power.

UEFA blasted Infantino and his organization again over his failed plan to sell stakes in the World Cup, declaring it wants assurances that “attempts to disfigure the game in this way will never be made again.”

The reaction revealed the depths of animosity toward Infantino as he attempts to run for re-election next year while trying to quell outrage over the equity plan. FIFA issued an apology on Wednesday over the plan, and senior staff members at a crisis meeting in Rabat “reaffirmed their full support” for his presidency.

The UEFA response shows how the apology will not be enough to satisfy his fiercest detractors, who want a change at the top of FIFA.

That process will play out in the coming months with a vote in March among the 211 national member federations. Each nation gets a vote, and he needs a simple majority to retain his presidency.

Infantino left New York with around 200 letters of support from those federations. That number is likely to be depleted now, but it is not clear how many of those individual federations would turn against him when it comes to the vote.

Continental soccer bodies in Europe, Asia and North and South America have voiced varying degrees of opposition to Infantino's plans. Crucially, however, confederations are not obliged to vote collectively and there are no guarantees of reaching the 106 votes needed to ensure a majority in a contested election.

The English FA has withdrawn its support, as have Serbia, Sweden and Wales. Many, many others have been noncommittal.

Infantino, whose expansion of the World Cup has opened it up to more countries, has a traditional support base in Africa, which has 54 voting members. Even among the tumultuous fallout from the plan, he has received pockets of support from individual federations including 2022 World Cup host Qatar.

UEFA maintained its threat to boycott the World Cup and other FIFA competitions and reiterated that it had lost confidence in Infantino.

"Yesterday’s announcement that some people employed by the FIFA President (and whose careers depend on his favor) agree with him changes nothing,” it said.

Wednesday's summit in Rabat was dubbed a crisis meeting after an internal backlash against Infantino's controversial plan.

His secretary general Mattias Grafström said it created “turmoil which is difficult to comprehend and accept.” Chief of global football development Arsène Wenger distanced himself from the plans, while Infantino’s senior adviser Carlos Cordeiro resigned last week and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour said staff were “deceived” by the president’s lack of openness.

Infantino emerged from the meeting with a unified response from those in attendance — notably Grafström — confirming support for his presidency.

That was evidence of the Swiss-Italian's determination to resist the pressure on his position and win a fourth and final term in office through 2031.

The wording of FIFA's statement, however, was open to interpretation, saying “members of the FIFA Management Board in attendance” reaffirmed their support for him.

FIFA has not published a list of attendees, but it is reported Wenger, Lamour and chief football officer Jill Ellis were among those absent.

It would take at least 19 of FIFA's 37 council members to trigger an extraordinary general meeting where Infantino could be called on to explain his actions.

It's one thing wanting Infantino out, it's another finding someone who can drum up the support to take him on.

Paris Saint-Germain’s Qatari president Nasser al-Khelaïfi is widely seen as a good fit. He is the chairman of association of European Football Clubs, which represents the top teams on the continent including Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Manchester United.

He was unifying force in the wake of the failed European Super League project and may be seen as the type of candidate capable bringing national federations back together following Infantino's similarly divisive plan.

There's one catch — he doesn't want the job.

A spokesperson told The Associated Press Al-Khelaifi had “absolutely no ambition, no intention and no interest in the FIFA role."

Canadian FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani is another name to throw into the mix. The president of Norwegian soccer Lise Klaveness has been outspoken in her criticism of Infantino, and the president of the Asian soccer confederation, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, also came out strongly in opposition of FFE.

Nov. 18 is the deadline for candidates to enter the next presidential contest, exactly four months ahead of the vote.

FIFA said it hoped Wednesday's meeting would “help restore confidence” in the organization after the turbulence created by Infantino’s project.

Infantino's detractors had other ideas.

UEFA's response was scathing, saying it had made it “abundantly clear” that it had lost confidence in Infantino’s presidency.

"That position holds,” it said.

As well as the Nov. 18 deadline for candidates, the Women’s Under-20 World Cup hosted by Poland from Sept. 5. would be the first potential target for UEFA's threatened boycott.

A potential boycott also raises uncertainty over the staging for the 2035 Women’s World Cup. The four British federations comprise FIFA’s only bidder to host the tournament and the decision is due Nov. 23.

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

FIFA president Gianni Infantino attends a Women's AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, center, speaks to FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, left, sitting beside president of Moroccan Royal Football Federation Fouzi Lekjaa as they attend a Women's AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo)

The FIFA logo is seen at the entrance of FIFA headquarters, in Zurich, Switzerland, Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. (Andreas Becker/Keystone via AP)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino leaves after attending a Women AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo)

FIFA president Gianni Infantino leaves after attending a Women AFCON 2026 soccer match between Malawi and Zambia, in Rabat, Morocco, Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2026. (AP Photo)

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico began sending 1,500 more troops to the western state of Michoacan on Thursday, a day after the U.S. announced the suspension of government operations in that region — including halting avocado inspections required for their export — because of a non-specific threat to U.S. interests.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the increase of security in avocado production areas to spur the resumption of the exports as soon as possible and to prevent any serious impact on Mexico’s economy or U.S. supply.

The United States is a major consumer of Mexican avocados: More than 80% of the avocados consumed come from its southern neighbor, amounting to $3.7 billion in sales for Mexico in 2025.

But before export, U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors verify the quality on-site to prevent pests from entering the country. Without inspections, imports stop and prices in the U.S. may increase.

These agricultural inspections were suspended on Wednesday for security reasons in Michoacan, the main avocado producer and an area with high cartel activity.

It’s not the first time the exports have been halted — a pause in early 2022 on the eve of the Super Bowl lasted a week, though it didn’t impact game day guacamole consumption because those avocados had already been shipped.

Here’s a look at what’s driving the shutdown:

Numerous cartels operate in Michoacan, which is the main state exporting avocados to the United States and one of just two states authorized to do so. In Michoacan, the cartels produce and traffic drugs and engage in violence and extortion across multiple industries, including the avocado industry where payments to the cartels can impact prices of the fruit.

Previous pauses on exports were triggered by violence against U.S. inspectors — in 2024, two USDA employees were assaulted and temporarily held by assailants in Michoacan. This time, no specific incident was reported, and Michoacan authorities stated that the suspension was “preventive” due to recent arrests linked to extortion cases.

The California Avocado Commission, which supports the state’s avocado industry, called for stronger monitoring of fruit headed to the U.S. after a pest was reported at a Mexico packinghouse and said cartels shouldn’t be allowed to intervene in the industry.

“The Trump administration is right to protect American personnel and confront the cartels,” Ken Melban, the commission’s president, said in a statement, adding that “cartels cannot be allowed to exploit the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to undercut American growers and destroy domestic production.”

Avocado consumption has soared in the United States in recent decades, and California grows only a fraction of the avocados needed to meet that demand.

Mexican analyst David Saucedo believes that issues with avocado exports are among the reasons the Trump administration has designated four cartels operating in Michoacán as terrorist organizations.

Generally, the situation is resolved within a matter of days because export pauses hurt both Mexico and the U.S. — and the cartels. In Michoacan, the main producer, the industry employs about 200,000 people. Lengthy pauses could lead to shortages or price increases. And if the avocados aren’t moving, criminals can’t collect their extortion payments.

A producer from Michoacan told the AP this week that he pays 1 peso per kilo exported in extortion fees and exports about 90 metric tons a day, which amounts to more than $5,000 in daily payments for him. He spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for his safety.

When inspections are halted, Mexican authorities typically respond with offers of increased security, as Sheinbaum announced on Thursday. She also suggested that Mexican officials could do the inspections. This option has been considered in the past, but the USDA remained in charge of the verifications, albeit with Mexican security forces accompanying them.

Although the situation generally calms down quickly, producers say that doesn’t mean the extortion stops.

Yes. The suspension only affects avocados grown in Michoacan, but only one other Mexican state, Jalisco, is authorized by the USDA to export to the United States since 2022, and its volume is much smaller.

Amy Taxin contributed to this story from Santa Ana, Calif.

FILE - Crates of avocados wait to be processed at a packing plant in Uruapan, Mexico, Feb. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Armando Solis, File)