Gianni Infantino has been asked to reconsider attending a youth football tournament in the Dominican Republic, after CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani warned that the FIFA president’s presence could weaken the event.
Montagliani made the request in a letter to Infantino, according to the British newspaper The Telegraph. Infantino had been invited to attend the Caribbean Football Union Under-14 tournament, which is being held this week, but the CONCACAF chief told him that the continuing governance crisis surrounding FIFA risked overshadowing the competition.
“I respectfully ask you on behalf of football to reconsider your attendance, as it will weaken this event,” Montagliani wrote.
He also warned that the controversy surrounding Infantino’s administration would “unfortunately take significantly away from the technical nature of the competition”.
Infantino arrived in the Dominican Republic on Friday but has not commented publicly on his future or on the crisis facing world football’s governing body. The dispute intensified after an abandoned attempt to sell a stake in the World Cup to private-sector investors caused widespread anger and led to calls for him to resign.
Infantino had initially been invited to the tournament before officials became aware of the plan. The proposal was later withdrawn after it attracted strong criticism.
The request from Montagliani represents the latest public sign of pressure on Infantino from within the international football system. Two weeks ago, CONCACAF joined UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation in signing a joint letter calling for Infantino to step down as FIFA president.
The letter followed growing concern over the governance implications of the proposed World Cup investment arrangement. The plan’s cancellation did not end the controversy, with critics continuing to question the way FIFA is being run under Infantino.
The Caribbean Football Union Under-14 tournament is taking place in the Dominican Republic as a youth competition focused on football development. Montagliani’s intervention indicates that the political dispute at senior level has begun to affect events involving younger players and national associations.
Infantino has nevertheless travelled to the tournament, although his silence on the FIFA crisis has kept attention focused on his position rather than on the matches themselves. His attendance had been expected to provide a senior FIFA presence at the event, but Montagliani’s letter makes clear that CONCACAF believes the visit could damage the tournament’s image.
The request also highlights the unusual position of Montagliani, who is both the head of CONCACAF and one of FIFA’s vice-presidents. By asking Infantino not to attend an event in his confederation’s region, he has placed the organisation’s concerns over the tournament’s presentation directly in the wider debate about FIFA’s leadership.
The joint call from CONCACAF, UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation remains the strongest indication yet that opposition to Infantino extends across several major football confederations. For now, however, Infantino’s future as FIFA president remains unresolved.
