FIFA President Gianni Infantino Asked to Stay Away From Caribbean Youth Tournament

CONCACAF leader Victor Montagliani warned that Infantino’s appearance could overshadow the under-14 competition as FIFA’s governance crisis deepens.

By Michael Patrick Day | August 22, 2026

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic — FIFA President Gianni Infantino has been asked to stay away from a Caribbean youth soccer tournament amid fears that the escalating controversy surrounding his leadership would distract from the young players and the purpose of the competition.

CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani made the request in a letter sent to Infantino on Friday, urging him to reconsider attending the Caribbean Football Union’s Under-14 Series in the Dominican Republic this weekend.

Montagliani, who also serves as a FIFA vice president, said the intense media attention surrounding Infantino and FIFA’s continuing governance crisis threatened to overshadow the tournament.

In the letter, which was reviewed by Reuters, Montagliani warned that coverage of Infantino’s appearance would “significantly take away from the technical nature” of the youth competition. He asked the FIFA president “in the name of football” to reconsider attending because his presence could undermine an important youth-development event. Reuters

Despite the request, Infantino traveled to the Dominican Republic and was welcomed upon his arrival in Punta Cana by Sports and Recreation Minister Kelvin Cruz and several prominent national soccer and Olympic officials.

Cruz portrayed the visit as an opportunity for the country, saying Infantino’s presence could raise the Dominican Republic’s international profile and help advance the development of soccer there.

The contrasting receptions highlighted the widening split within the sport. While Dominican officials publicly welcomed FIFA’s president, the leader of the regional confederation representing North America, Central America and the Caribbean made clear that he believed Infantino should not attend the tournament.

World Cup Proposal Sparks Backlash

The dispute comes during one of the most serious challenges to Infantino’s leadership since he became FIFA president in 2016.

Infantino has faced growing criticism over an abandoned proposal to place World Cup commercial interests into a new venture that would have been opened to private investment. Critics said the plan was developed without sufficient consultation and could have surrendered too much influence over FIFA’s most valuable competition to outside investors.

The proposal was withdrawn following widespread opposition, but its collapse did not end the controversy. Instead, it created a significant loss of trust between FIFA’s leadership and several of the sport’s most powerful regional organizations.

UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and CONCACAF have increased pressure on Infantino, with leading officials discussing possible efforts to remove him or support a challenger in the next FIFA presidential election.

The controversy has also prompted several national soccer associations and senior officials to withdraw or reconsider their support for Infantino’s bid for another term. He is seeking to remain president through 2031.

The Caribbean tournament has consequently taken on political importance far beyond youth soccer.

The CFU represents a large group of FIFA voting members, and Infantino’s attendance created speculation that he could use the visit to meet regional officials and reinforce his support before the presidential election. The Under-14 competition and related CFU meetings are not official FIFA events, according to reporting by The Guardian. The Guardian

Infantino reportedly received his invitation before details of the controversial commercial proposal became public.

Youth Competition Caught in Political Struggle

Montagliani’s letter sought to return attention to the tournament’s original purpose: giving young Caribbean players an opportunity to compete internationally and develop their skills.

Youth tournaments are an important part of soccer development across the Caribbean, where many national federations operate with limited resources. The events provide players with competitive experience while helping coaches and regional officials identify emerging talent.

However, Infantino’s planned appearance threatened to turn the competition into another stage for FIFA’s political struggle.

The dispute also places Montagliani in a delicate position. As both the president of CONCACAF and a vice president of FIFA, he is one of the most influential figures in international soccer. He has also been mentioned as a possible challenger to Infantino, although no formal candidacy has been announced.

FIFA had not issued a detailed public response to Montagliani’s request as of Saturday. Reuters reported that the organization had been contacted for comment.

Questions also remain about whether Infantino’s opponents can translate their dissatisfaction into formal action. FIFA’s statutes allow an extraordinary congress to be called if at least 43 of its 211 member associations submit a written request. Such a meeting could become a forum for a no-confidence challenge, although FIFA’s rules do not provide a simple mechanism for automatically removing a sitting president through such a vote.

For now, Infantino remains in office and continues to receive support from a number of federations, including important allies in Africa and other regions.

Nevertheless, being asked by one of FIFA’s own vice presidents to stay away from a children’s tournament represents a striking public rebuke. It demonstrates how far the dispute has spread—and how difficult it may be for Infantino to attend even a grassroots soccer event without the battle over FIFA’s future following him onto the field.