UEFA and CONCACAF aim to create a Nations League in latest show of defiance against FIFA

In another show of defiance to FIFA, with what is turning out to be a long-drawn battle against the world football–governing body, UEFA and CONCACAF, respectively the governing bodies of Europe and the North and Central American footballing nations, have entered into preliminary discussions about setting up a Nations League of their own.

Joining forces with the common goal of ousting embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino, both federations are working towards hosting a biennial tournament that would comprise all 96 nations that fall under their combined jurisdiction. It is believed that the first iteration of this new-look Nations League could begin as early as 2028, immediately after the year’s European Championship.

While discussions and key correspondence pertaining to the league are in the early stages, it is expected that the format of this league will be the same as the current Nations League format: multi-league group stages followed by knockouts.

The draft plans also place league stage matches to be played in the international breaks from September to November, while the knockout phases would take place in May and June, after the general conclusion of the club season in Europe. With these games expected to take place in FIFA-sanctioned international windows, it remains to be seen whether the new league would require ratification from FIFA itself.

While it is certain that all 96 teams across UEFA and CONCACAF would be involved in this Nations League, the embryonic nature of these discussions suggests that there is not much clarity regarding the number of teams that will play in each league, although the extra games will generate significantly larger revenue for the smaller nations.

It will be very interesting to see what stance the Mexican Football Federation takes. It has long expressed a sense of frustration with CONCACAF with regards to financial stagnation in terms of playing within the federation and has expressed a strong desire to switch its allegiance to CONMEBOL, the governing body for football in South America.

While the move would definitely need to be ratified by FIFA, this new change and the subsequent financial windfall would definitely turn heads in the Mexican ranks.

Apart from UEFA and CONCACAF, it is being reported that the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has also expressed significant interest in being part of this proposed league, albeit at a later date.