FIFA Rift Widens: Infantino Turns Up at Caribbean Youth Event Despite Request to Stay Away

Gianni Infantino has deepened FIFA’s growing internal power struggle after ignoring a request from one of his vice presidents to stay away from a youth football tournament in the Caribbean.

The FIFA president appeared Saturday at a Caribbean Football Union Under-14 tournament in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, where he met political and football officials. His appearance came a day after Victor Montagliani, president of CONCACAF and a FIFA vice president, asked him not to attend.

Montagliani warned that the controversy surrounding Infantino’s leadership and his abandoned commercial plan could overshadow the youth tournament and distract from its purpose.

The dispute centres on the FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal, under which FIFA planned to move its multibillion-dollar commercial operations into a new subsidiary partly owned by private investors led by Joshua Kushner. Infantino withdrew the plan on August 1 after strong opposition from football officials and fans. The proposal had been publicly revealed on July 28.

Montagliani has joined UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in opposing Infantino’s increasingly powerful leadership style. They had accused him of deception over the secret planning of the proposal.

The controversy has also affected FIFA’s administration. Kevin Lamour, FIFA’s chief operating officer, was fired this week after criticising the proposal and Infantino’s leadership.

Infantino has largely avoided public questions since the controversy emerged. When a Sky News reporter asked Friday whether he had betrayed football and should resign, Infantino avoided the question and joked about both men being bald.

The FIFA chief is seeking a fourth and final term through 2031. The election will be held in March next year in Rabat, Morocco, with candidates required to enter the race by November 18.

The growing dispute has evolved into a wider battle over FIFA’s governance, power and future direction.