CONCACAF and UEFA Possibly Merging Nations Leagues into one

Since Beyond the 90 and all media outlets across the world are discussing the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal of Gianni Infantino to give 20% of the World Cup toward private equity businesses, and the poor communication and the arrogance of the FIFA President towards the opposition, which has been UEFA, then joined in by CONCACAF and Asia. Now a new idea has emerged to challenge the World’s governing body.

From an article by Matt Hughes of The Guardian, there are discussions between UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani to take their respective Nations League tournaments and merge them into one beginning in 2028. The AFC has also entertained the idea of joining these two confederations, but is still looking things over. With the obvious right in our faces at plain sight, this idea is to force the resignation of Infantino from the FIFA Presidency.

Before we get to the crux of the matter, let’s look at what this could mean if it does get implemented and the positives for certain nations from either Confederation. It would mean a whole redesign of the Leagues if these two competitions do merge. This would mean you would have, in an official competition, matches where England, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy could face the USA, Mexico, Canada, Panama, and Costa Rica in a brand new League A.

The second ranked nations of UEFA and CONCACAF would be placed in League B, third ranked nations in League C, and so on if we do get a League D, E, & or F. 96 nations would be joined together and spread out across the Americas and Europe to perform matches, and facing these European nations would benefit the CONCACAF Nations like never before. So many people have been saying to unite CONCACAF & CONMEBOL; this would trump that. Not saying South American teams are not worth the time, but knowing how CONMEBOL thinks, they just want it for the money, not for the prestige.

Meanwhile, UEFA & CONCACAF would have a bigger meaning, as there is great dialogue between the two Presidents of their respective Confederations and the two Vice Presidents of FIFA. More competition against top-ranked sides from Europe on a biannual basis. While both confederations would have to rework qualification to their respective National Team tournaments of the Gold Cup and the Euros, this proposal would help the cause of the CONCACAF nations when they play against the UEFA nations.

Since UEFA came out with their Nations League first, the idea was scoffed at. Yet it has worked, and the teams within Europe have taken it seriously. The only negative for some national teams is from outside of UEFA. All those windows are gone to set up friendly matches to either travel to or bring in teams from Africa, Asia, CONCACAF, and CONMEBOL. CONCACAF decided to create its own Nations League to assist those Caribbean Nations and others when they don’t play during International Fixtures. While CONCACAF has improved at a certain level from within, they need more quality opponents.

Of course, the big negative would be needing FIFA Approval, because something like this would challenge a World Cup tournament and possibly devalue it. This is how the structure of Football has worked for so many years. A Professional Football League can only work and run within its own structure during the season. When Pro/Rel comes at the end of the season is when teams get rewarded or punished for their play. The FAs, of course, manage the sport domestically within their borders, get their national teams ready for qualifying, tournaments, and friendly matches for kids, young adults, and adults.

Let’s also not forget their National Championship for every club, pro and amateur, like the FA Cup, and the US Open Cup. International Tournaments within your own region are, of course, the Confederation heads for Champions League and international regional tournaments. And of course, FIFA handles the sport within the entire globe, and they have the World Cup. It’s very easy to see that this is a power play from both Cerefin and Montagliani, and if Asian President Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa does become the third man in, it would be an amazing thing to see.

Obviously, all of this is in the very early stages, and discussions are going on. If this threat can come together, then I believe FIFA is in trouble; at the same time, Infantino will have more pressure on him before they get to the March elections in the FIFA Congress. While there are those nations within Asia that are still backing Infantino and Mexico threatening to move to CONMEBOL while backing Infantino, there is still plenty of time to see what will happen and if more nations who were against Infantino could move towards backing Infantino.

Either this will be a fantastic game of footy chicken, or the bark is worse than the bite. But make no mistake, there are a lot of things going on right now, and we need to see how this whole thing plays out. But in my own opinion, if both CONCACAF & UEFA merge their Nations Leagues, then this is a huge win for CONCACAF as their Participating members will have a level of opponent they would never face in any international window of any kind. Plus, while it would never happen. I would watch to see England take on the British Virgin Islands. What a story that could write.