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标签： Belize

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  • BCCI warns price controls could discourage investment

    BCCI warns price controls could discourage investment

    Belize’s top private-sector business advocacy group is sounding the alarm over the country’s current price-control regulations, warning that the extended framework introduced three years ago risks dragging down private investment, shrinking product options for consumers, and stacking the deck against small and medium-sized importers competing in the local market.

    In an official correspondence dated March 11, 2026 addressed to Prime Minister John Briceño, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) laid out its case for rolling back the expanded price-control measures that were rolled out in 2023. The organization acknowledged that the policy was a justifiable temporary response at the time of its implementation, when a wave of exceptional global inflation and widespread supply chain disruptions sent shockwaves through small open economies like Belize, driving up shipping costs and consumer prices nationwide.

    But global market conditions have shifted significantly since 2023, the BCCI argues, making the rigid extended regulatory framework outdated and misaligned with today’s economic realities. Under the current rules, fixed wholesale and retail profit margins fail to account for ongoing fluctuations in key cost drivers for imported goods, including volatile international freight charges and shifting currency exchange rates. This lack of flexibility leaves local businesses unable to adapt quickly to evolving market conditions, a vulnerability that has become more acute as international trade faces a new wave of geopolitical and economic uncertainty.

    The BCCI warns that maintaining inflexible pricing rules under these conditions creates clear, damaging ripple effects across the market. First, it erodes incentives for businesses to invest in inventory stocks, as thin, fixed margins reduce the potential returns on holding goods. Over time, this leads to a reduction in both the variety and consistent availability of imported products for Belizean consumers. Most notably, the burden falls disproportionately on smaller importers, which lack the bulk purchasing power and economies of scale that allow larger industry players to absorb cost shocks that are not accounted for in fixed price margins. This puts small importers at a severe competitive disadvantage, threatening their long-term viability and reducing competition in the market overall.

    To address these growing concerns, the BCCI has submitted a formal draft amendment to the existing Supplies Control (Prices) Regulations. The proposed change would largely reinstate the regulatory framework that was in place before the 2023 expansions, a structure the business group says strikes a better balance for all stakeholders. According to the BCCI, restoring the prior framework would give businesses the adaptive flexibility they need to manage shifting international input costs, while still preserving healthy market competition and ensuring that essential goods remain consistently available to consumers across the country.

    The organization has also signaled it is open to collaborative dialogue with government regulators and policymakers, expressing willingness to meet with officials to discuss the proposed amendments, refine the draft language, and explore alternative policy solutions that can protect consumers from unfair price gouging while also fostering a resilient, competitive private sector that drives economic growth and job creation in Belize.

  • Local Boot Maker: Defence Ministry procurement debate is also about industrial policy

    Local Boot Maker: Defence Ministry procurement debate is also about industrial policy

    A ongoing audit into procurement practices at Belize’s Ministry of Defence has centered public attention on one pressing question: whether taxpayers overpaid for imported military footwear. But for Jaime Marin, owner of local tactical boot manufacturer Umbraland, the controversy exposes a far larger systemic failure – the government’s refusal to leverage its own massive purchasing power to nurture homegrown industrial growth.

    Marin points to a clear legal mandate that has been overlooked in the current scandal: Section 19 of Belize’s 2023 Fiscal Incentives Act, which requires that 20% of all government goods purchases and public contracts be awarded to domestic micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). For him, the dispute over the military boot order is not just a one-off procurement issue. It goes to the heart of whether public spending is actually being used as the tool for national economic development that parliament intended when it passed the law.

    Founded in 2018, Umbraland was built with a simple, focused mission: to become a reliable domestic supplier of tactical footwear for Belize’s national security forces. The company poured capital into specialized production equipment and has submitted bids repeatedly for Ministry of Defence tender opportunities, which typically call for orders of roughly 1,500 pairs of boots. To date, however, the firm has only landed one small public contract: a 100-pair order for the Belize Police Department, awarded when Kareem Musa led the Ministry of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries.

    Marin says that even a modest increase in public contract awards would have been transformative for his small business. Beyond growing top-line revenue, he explains that additional income would have allowed the firm to upgrade production machinery, scale its workforce from 5 current employees to approximately 15, and position the company to compete for clients across the Central American region. In this framework, public procurement is not just a routine commercial transaction – it is a deliberate mechanism to drive long-term industrial expansion for developing economies like Belize.

    Contrary to some public framing, Marin is not calling for a full ban on imported military boots in government purchasing. He stresses that Umbraland has never demanded an exclusive monopoly on domestic security footwear contracts. His core demand is far simpler: that the government meet the 20% MSME procurement requirement already written into law. Applied to the 1,500-pair military boot order at the center of the current audit, that mandate would reserve just 300 pairs for domestic production from a local Belizean firm.

    Marin also pushes back against claims that domestic manufacturers cannot meet the strict quality standards required for security personnel. He notes that after Umbraland delivered its 100-pair order to the Belize Police Department, the company received formal positive feedback on product quality. Multiple senior public officials and active security officers who tested and wore the boots also confirmed their satisfaction with the domestic product, he added.

    The company’s experience with the Ministry of Defence, however, has been drastically different. Marin alleges that ministry officials repeatedly questioned the quality of Umbraland’s boots and imposed an unfair testing requirement: the firm was asked to supply a full platoon’s allocation of boots free of charge to undergo field testing. For a small MSME with limited operating capital, Marin calls this demand completely unrealistic. He contrasts this hostile approach with the Ministry of New Growth Industries, which moved forward directly with a formal purchase order for the police department without imposing punitive, unaffordable testing conditions.

    The ongoing government audit will ultimately answer narrow procedural questions: whether Ministry of Defence procurement staff followed existing rules, and whether taxpayers got fair value for the imported boots they purchased. But Marin’s intervention has elevated the conversation, forcing policymakers and the public to confront a much broader policy question that outlives this specific scandal. Belize’s legislature has already passed a law requiring one-fifth of all government procurement go to domestic MSMEs – so should public purchasing decisions only be judged by the upfront price tag, or also by their impact on building sustainable domestic productive capacity?

    For economic development experts, this question sits at the intersection of public procurement policy and national industrial strategy. Government spending can either be treated as a routine operating expense, focused solely on minimizing short-term costs, or it can be framed as a strategic investment in long-term national economic capacity – a choice that will shape Belize’s industrial future for years to come.

  • Mexico’s Feminist Foreign Policy Comes to Belize

    Mexico’s Feminist Foreign Policy Comes to Belize

    In a landmark diplomatic gathering held July 30, 2026 at Belize City’s Laing Building, Mexican diplomatic officials brought their country’s groundbreaking gender-centered foreign policy directly to neighboring Belize, sparking meaningful cross-border dialogue on advancing women’s empowerment and gender equity. The meeting, coordinated between Mexico’s embassy in Belize, Belize’s Special Envoy for Families and Children Rosanna Briceno, and the Belizean National Women’s Commission, featured a detailed keynote presentation by Mexican Ambassador to Belize Luisa Vallejo Barba that broke down the core framework and on-the-ground impact of Mexico’s new feminist foreign policy, launched after Claudia Sheinbaum made history in 2024 as Mexico’s first elected female president.

    Under this new diplomatic approach, every Mexican government ministry, secretary-level department, and state institution is required to integrate gender equity considerations into all operational and policy work. While the policy does not always allocate dedicated new budgets to expand women’s participation, it reframes existing structures to create new pathways to balance for women already working in public service, unlocking fresh opportunities for diverse perspectives to shape national and international decision-making. Vallejo Barba, who brought more than three decades of public service experience to her ambassadorial role, opened up about her own complicated relationship with the gender quotas that have been a core tool of Mexico’s equity push. Admitting she initially felt ambivalent about advancing through a quota system rather than solely on the merit of her decades-long work, she emphasized that quotas have opened doors that were previously closed to capable women, and that recipients of these opportunities are committed to proving their worth through results.

    “Most legal advances on equity built up over decades, but the quota system has driven real, tangible change,” Vallejo Barba noted during the discussion. “For me, it finally gave me the opportunity I’d worked toward for 30 years. Now it’s my job to deliver, and that validation matters.”

    Briceno echoed the ambassador’s remarks, pushing back against common harmful stereotypes that frame feminism as aggressive or anti-male. She emphasized that for women across Belize, feminism is simply a demand for equal recognition of women’s capability and equal access to opportunity: “When people hear the word feminism, they often picture an angry woman causing trouble, but that’s not what this is about. We just want the world to know we are women, we are strong, and we can do anything that men can do. We just want equality.”

    The discussion also highlighted the significant progress Mexico has made on domestic gender parity in recent years, thanks to constitutional reforms mandating equal representation. Today, women hold roughly 50 percent of seats in both Mexico’s Chamber of Deputies and Senate, bringing the country nearly to full gender parity in its national legislature. By comparison, just eight of the 44 seats in Belize’s national parliament are held by women, underscoring the gap that many Central American nations still face in gender-inclusive governance.

    Local stakeholders in attendance reported that the information-sharing session offered valuable insights for Belize as it continues its own work to advance women’s political and social participation, laying the groundwork for deeper future collaboration between the two neighboring nations on gender equity initiatives.

  • Transport costs surge 13.6% as inflation climbs to 4.6% in June

    Transport costs surge 13.6% as inflation climbs to 4.6% in June

    For the fourth straight month, skyrocketing transport costs have emerged as the dominant force pushing up inflation across Belize, new official data confirms. In June 2026, annual inflation for the transport sector hit 13.6% year-over-year, driving the country’s overall headline inflation rate to 4.6%, according to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report published by the Statistical Institute of Belize.

    The steep upward trajectory of transport costs traces directly to surging global and domestic fuel prices, which have put consistent pressure on consumer budgets throughout 2026. Diesel prices saw the most dramatic jump, soaring 34.3% from an average of $11.42 per gallon in June 2025 to $15.33 per gallon a year later. Regular gasoline rose 19.2% to hit $13.78 per gallon, while premium gasoline climbed 17.7% to $15.55 per gallon. Beyond fuel, passenger transport services also grew 15.5% more expensive, as providers of bus, taxi and international air travel passed increased fuel costs onto consumers through higher fares.

    When combined with two other key spending categories — Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages, and Housing, Water, Electricity, Gas and Other Fuels — transport accounted for more than three-quarters of the total increase in national consumer prices between June 2025 and June 2026. Across all consumer goods and services, the national All-Items CPI rose from 119.7 in June 2025 to 125.3 in June 2026, cementing the 4.6% annual inflation figure.

    Breaking down inflation across other core sectors, Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages posted a 3.2% annual increase, led by higher prices for fresh meats, sugar, fruit-bearing vegetables and baked goods. The housing and utilities category saw a 3.9% rise, driven by upward adjustments to electricity and water tariffs, higher liquefied petroleum gas prices, and growing residential rental costs. Health care costs jumped 7% year-over-year, while restaurants and accommodation services recorded a 3.4% increase.

    Inflation rates varied across Belize’s municipal regions. The twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena recorded the highest annual inflation rate among all municipalities at 6%, with broad-based price hikes hitting every major spending category from transport and groceries to utilities, medical care, dining and clothing. Meanwhile, the island tourism hub of San Pedro posted the lowest regional inflation rate at 3.4%.

    Despite the strong annual uptick in prices, consumer costs held remarkably steady between May and June 2026. Month-over-month inflation clocked in at just 0.1%, as a 0.8% rise in food prices was almost entirely offset by a 0.5% drop in transport costs, triggered by a temporary reduction in regular gasoline prices during the month.

    Looking at cumulative inflation for the first half of 2026, Belize’s year-to-date inflation rate stands at 2.5%. Transport has retained its position as the top contributor to price growth over this period, with cumulative price increases hitting 5.3% since January. Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages and the housing and utilities category followed, both posting 2.1% cumulative price growth through the end of June.

  • How Public Officers Can Protect Their Pension Benefits

    How Public Officers Can Protect Their Pension Benefits

    July 30, 2026 — For public sector employees across Belize, the dream of a financially secure retirement hinges on a smooth, timely pension disbursement — a reality that has grown increasingly out of reach for many workers who have dedicated decades to public service. Growing public frustration over crippling processing delays, with some retirees passing away before ever accessing their earned benefits, has sparked renewed calls for proactive, pre-retirement planning to cut through bureaucratic gridlock and prevent avoidable complications. News Five reporter Britney Gordon explores the key steps public officers can take years before leaving service to protect their hard-earned pension benefits, and addresses systemic gaps that have turned the post-retirement benefit process into a chaotic, exhausting ordeal for many families.

    Retirement stands as the capstone milestone of a public officer’s decades-long career, with promised pension benefits designed to deliver consistent financial stability once they step away from their duties. But for far too many Belizean public servants, the journey to accessing those benefits has become nothing short of a bureaucratic nightmare, marked by long waits, lost paperwork, and unnecessary hurdles that leave retirees in financial limbo. Local attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley has emerged as a vocal critic of the broken system, pointing to the most extreme example of its failure: retirees who die without ever receiving the pension they spent their working lives earning. “People die and no seeing pension. What kind of country we run?” Bradley asked, amplifying widespread public anger over ongoing inefficiencies.

    While systemic reform will take time, industry and retired administrative experts agree that proactive personal action years in advance of retirement can drastically reduce the risk of costly delays. According to Carol Gentle, a retired administrative officer who spent nearly 40 years working within Belize’s public service system, successful pension processing is a shared responsibility between the employee and the administrative teams that manage their employment files.

    Gentle emphasized that all public officers hold a clear legal right to review their official employment files at any point during their career, and encouraged workers to start the review process long before their planned exit from service. “I recommend to public officers, when you reach the age of, say, between fifty to fifty-three, you try and find your administrative officer and ask them to set a date for you to go through your file, because you have that right to see your file. You peruse your file, check to see what’s on your file, and ask questions,” Gentle explained.

    The core of pre-retirement preparation is confirming that every required document is properly filed and accurate, from approved leave histories and updated personal records to all mandatory performance evaluations. Gentle noted that it is the employee’s own responsibility to follow up on missing paperwork, even for workers who have reached the top of their pay scale. Pension processing officially begins one year before a public officer’s planned retirement at age 55, so any gaps in documentation discovered that late can already trigger major delays. “If it is not, it is you the officer’s responsibility to ensure that your supervisor do your appraisal and have it affixed to your file. Even if you’re at the end of your pay scale, it’s your obligation to get it done or else your file will not be processed,” Gentle said.

    The most common avoidable issues that slow pension and gratuity calculations include missing employment history records, incomplete performance appraisals, and discrepancies between the name on a worker’s employment file and their official birth certificate. Gentle explained that these name mismatches are surprisingly common, and resolving them can take months of extra work if left until the last minute. “I found in my experience a lot of people are in the public service with one name, and for some reason when they go to the vital statistics for their birth paper, they are registered in a different name. They have to go through the process, and that’s why I advise them that they get their birth paper way in advance, years in advance,” she added.

    Rather than waiting for the official pre-retirement processing window to open, Gentle advised public officers to conduct annual reviews of their employment files to catch gaps early. This regular audit schedule gives workers enough time to locate missing documents, resolve discrepancies, and correct errors long before their retirement package is submitted for processing, eliminating the avoidable delays that have derailed so many Belizean public servants’ retirement plans. Britney Gordon, News Five, Belize.

  • Mayor Nuñez Promises Updates in Murder Investigation

    Mayor Nuñez Promises Updates in Murder Investigation

    A double homicide that has shaken the quiet island community of San Pedro, Belize has spurred public calls for accountability, with local leaders moving to address growing public anxiety over public safety. In late July 2026, the killings of local businessman David Harmouch and employed security guard Daniel Jones triggered a public demonstration by members of the island’s Lebanese community, who gathered outside the San Pedro Police Station to demand immediate answers from law enforcement and elected officials.

    In response to the public outcry, San Pedro Mayor Wally Nuñez has moved to reassure both the victims’ families and the broader community that local authorities are prioritizing the ongoing investigation. Nuñez confirmed that city officials have maintained consistent, direct communication with the grieving families of Harmouch and Jones, and committed to delivering regular, public updates on the case’s progress as investigators work to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.

    “This is an undeniably tragic event for our island,” Nuñez stated in an interview following the protest. “We have personally engaged with the community organizers and the families, and we have given our formal commitment that the investigation will move forward transparently, with regular updates shared at every key stage.”

    Notably, Nuñez emphasized that violent homicide remains an extremely rare occurrence on the island, framing the incident as an isolated event that has nonetheless upended local residents’ sense of personal safety. “This kind of violence deeply affects how our community feels about safety here,” he added. “That is why this case demands our full attention, and we are fully committed to seeing it through to justice.”

    As of the latest update, law enforcement has not made any arrests in connection with the double murder. This report is adapted from a transcribed broadcast of local evening news, originally published online following the on-air segment.

  • SP Town Council Reallocates Over $2 Million to Tackle Sargassum

    SP Town Council Reallocates Over $2 Million to Tackle Sargassum

    As of July 30, 2026, the idyllic island of San Pedro, Belize, is grappling with a persistent and costly environmental crisis that is straining municipal finances: a massive, unrelenting influx of sargassum seaweed washing onto its iconic shorelines. San Pedro Mayor Wally Nuñez confirmed in a recent broadcast interview that the town council was forced to reallocate more than $2 million from other municipal programs last year alone to fund emergency sargassum removal efforts, a financial burden that has impacted nearly every other area of local public service. What makes the situation even more urgent is that the flow of invasive seaweed shows no sign of abating, prompting local leaders to pursue long-term, more efficient solutions to protect the island’s coastal ecosystem and tourism-dependent economy.

    Nuñez emphasized that the crisis is far from a local problem alone — it is a widespread regional challenge impacting coastal communities across the Caribbean Basin, stretching from Central American nations to coastal areas of the United States. For San Pedro, which relies heavily on its clean, attractive beaches to draw international tourists, the immediate priority remains rapid removal before the sargassum can decompose in nearshore waters, which would worsen water quality and drive away visitors. Currently, most of the town’s removal efforts are concentrated along the 1-mile stretch surrounding the town port, a small fraction of San Pedro’s total beachfront, leaving much of the coastline’s cleanup to private resorts and community volunteers.

    Local leaders are actively evaluating a range of new approaches to tackle the issue, including investing in specialized, heavy-duty removal equipment that can clear sargassum directly from the water before it reaches the shore. Nuñez also noted that entrepreneurs have pitched a variety of repurposing plans for collected sargassum — including the production of so-called sarga blocks for construction and other commercial uses — but for cash-strapped local leaders, speed of removal remains the top priority. Last year marked one of the worst on record for sargassum inundations in San Pedro, leaving the council with no choice but to shift limited resources away from other planned municipal projects to fund emergency cleanup.

    Fortunately, San Pedro is not facing the challenge alone. Mayor Nuñez confirmed that multiple regional agencies and key local stakeholders, including the Belize Tourism Board, have stepped in to provide additional equipment, logistical support, and funding to help the town manage the ongoing crisis. Private resorts along the island’s extended coastline have also deployed their own removal strategies, while community volunteers have contributed to local cleanup efforts to protect the island’s most valuable natural asset.

  • Stoll Fined for Handling Jaguar Cub as Authorities Pursue Brother

    Stoll Fined for Handling Jaguar Cub as Authorities Pursue Brother

    A widely circulated viral video showing two men interacting with a protected jaguar cub in Belize has resulted in legal consequences for one sibling, while authorities continue to pursue the other for violating the nation’s wildlife protection laws.

    On July 30, 2026, Ruben Stoll returned to Belize, turned himself in to the country’s Forest Department, and completed payment of a $1,000 fine for illegally handling the vulnerable wild big cat. Speaking on the case, Forest Officer Victoria Chi confirmed that Stoll issued a formal apology for his actions and openly acknowledged the dangers of unauthorized interference with native wildlife populations. Unlike his cooperative brother, Victor Stoll has refused to surrender to authorities and continues to claim that neither he nor Ruben committed any offense.

    Chi addressed public criticism that the $1,000 penalty is too lenient for the violation, explaining that the fine amount is bound by Belize’s current wildlife legislation. “Critics say one thousand dollars is insignificant, and I wish we could impose a larger fine,” Chi stated. “But we are limited by the existing legal framework, so we can only charge the maximum amount allowed under current law.”

    Beyond legal penalties, Chi emphasized the broader public health and conservation risks that come with close, unsanctioned contact with wild jaguars. She noted that wild animals carry a range of transmittable diseases that can spread to humans through direct touching, scratching, or contact with contaminated surfaces. Close encounters also put not only the individual at risk but also broader community public health at large.

    “These animals are wild, not domestic pets,” Chi explained. “The core message we want to send to every visitor and resident is simple: admire wildlife from a distance. You can observe them, take photos to remember your encounter, but never enter their space or engage in close physical contact.”

    Under Belize’s protected species laws, jaguars are classified as a protected wildlife population, making unauthorized handling a punishable offense. Chi confirmed that Ruben, who directly petted the jaguar cub, was the sibling issued the fine to date. Ruben has also stated he intends to convince his brother Victor to turn himself in to face potential charges.

    To ensure Victor will be apprehended if he re-enters the country, Belize’s Forest Department has issued an official alert to the nation’s Immigration Department, instructing border officials to monitor for Victor Stoll’s arrival and detain him for processing upon entry. Officials have stressed that the high-profile case is intended to set a clear public precedent for wildlife protection across the country, reinforcing that unauthorized interaction with protected species will not go unpunished.

  • Belize Basketball Bounce Back With Blowout of Guatemala

    Belize Basketball Bounce Back With Blowout of Guatemala

    Just 48 hours after a gut-wrenching last-minute three-point defeat to host Dominican Republic, the Belize men’s national basketball team delivered a statement response at the 2026 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Santo Domingo. Facing off against long-time regional rival Guatemala on July 30, the team shrugged off any potential post-loss letdown to secure a resounding 94-64 victory that keeps their medal aspirations on track.

    Belize caught fire from the opening tip-off, exploding out of the gate to build an insurmountable advantage by halftime. The squad’s sharp shooting and aggressive defense allowed them to race to a 29-point halftime lead, sitting comfortably at 57-28 as the teams headed into the locker room. Any expectation that Belize would ease off the gas in the second half proved wrong: the team maintained its intensity on both ends of the court, extending its lead through the third and fourth quarters before cruising to the 30-point final margin.

    Offensively, Belize was led by standout guard Josiah Moseley, who put on a shooting masterclass to earn a game-high 22 points. Moseley finished the contest an incredible 9-of-10 from the field, turning nearly every one of his offensive opportunities into points. Behind Moseley, Elijah Favela contributed a solid 17 points to the final scoreboard, while forward Michael Caceres added 14 more to round out Belize’s top three scorers.

    With the convincing win over Guatemala, Belize has officially advanced to the medal round of the tournament. Per current seeding projections, the team is set to face Puerto Rico in its upcoming semifinal matchup, where it will fight for a spot in the gold medal game.

  • CONCACAF Rebels Against Infantino’s World Cup Plan

    CONCACAF Rebels Against Infantino’s World Cup Plan

    A high-stakes power clash is roiling the upper ranks of global football, with the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) taking an uncompromising stand against a controversial FIFA initiative led by association president Gianni Infantino. On July 30, 2026, CONCACAF and its 41 member national associations formally announced their rejection of a proposal that would open the FIFA World Cup to ownership stakes from private investors.

    The regional confederation has raised sharp red flags over the plan, warning that it poses major threats to transparency, sound governance, and the sovereign control of football’s most prestigious global tournament. After a meeting of member nations held the same day, the bloc made its official opposition public through a formal press release. News Five reached out to Sergio Chuc, president of the Football Federation of Belize, to unpack what the opposition means for Belize and the broader CONCACAF region.

    Chuc emphasized that FIFA’s existing financial standing is more than robust enough to fund World Cup operations without turning to outside private capital. “The organization is strong enough. There are enough reserves to put this same offer to all members without having to raise funds from any equity funds out there or mutual funds,” Chuc explained. He also added that even CONCACAF representatives who hold seats on FIFA’s governing board were kept in the dark about the proposal, a departure from the confederation’s standard collaborative processes. “We were quite surprised and that is not the channel the CONCACAF follows. Over the last decade we have worked tirelessly to change the CONCACAF image and don’t go back to those dark days. We have set certain standards and values that our members follow, our council follow and we at CONCACAF would not operate that way,” Chuc said.

    CONCACAF’s formal rejection is not the only pushback Infantino’s plan has faced: European football’s governing body UEFA has already issued a threat to boycott the upcoming World Cup should FIFA move forward with implementing the private investment scheme. The growing coalition of opposition underscores deep divisions within global football’s leadership over the future direction of the sport’s marquee event, as regional blocs push back against what they see as a threat to the governance norms they have worked to build in recent decades.