Infantino attends Caribbean youth tournament despite CONCACAF chief’s abstention request

FIFA President Gianni Infantino made a public appearance at a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Under-14 youth tournament in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on Saturday, despite a formal request from his vice president to abstain. The visit occurred during a period of heightened scrutiny regarding FIFA’s internal leadership and its recently withdrawn commercial proposals.

Victor Montagliani, who serves as both FIFA Vice President and President of the North, Central America and Caribbean Association of Football (CONCACAF), sent an emailed letter on Friday urging Infantino to reconsider his attendance. Montagliani argued that the president’s presence would distract from the technical nature of the competition due to the ongoing media focus on FIFA’s governance issues.

In the letter, Montagliani cited the “governance crisis” surrounding FIFA, specifically referencing the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. He stated that media attention on this situation would “significantly take away from the technical nature of the CFU youth competition,” asking Infantino to reconsider in the name of football.

FIFA has not commented on the specific request but noted that it directly funds regional bodies like the CFU with up to $5 million from each four-year World Cup cycle. The dispute arises against the backdrop of Infantino’s decision to withdraw the FIFA Forward Enterprise plan on 1 August, a proposal that sought to sell stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors.

The tension reflects broader divisions within FIFA’s leadership, with Montagliani aligning with other vice presidents to challenge Infantino’s executive style. Infantino is seeking re-election for a fourth term at the FIFA election congress in Rabat, Morocco, next March, with a candidate deadline set for 18 November.

During his time in Punta Cana, Infantino posted photos on Instagram showing meetings with political and soccer officials from the Dominican Republic. When asked by Sky News reporter James Matthews if he had betrayed the sport and should resign, Infantino responded with “Thank you so much” and made light of the situation with remarks about both men being bald.