FIFA chief Infantino warned to stay away from youth tournament

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been urged to stay away from a youth football tournament in the Dominican Republic amid the growing governance crisis surrounding world football’s governing body.

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) president and FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani reportedly asked Infantino to reconsider attending the CFU Under-14 Series, warning that his presence could overshadow the youth competition.

According to the BBC, Montagliani referred to the “governance crisis surrounding FIFA” and argued that Infantino’s attendance would shift media attention away from the tournament’s development objectives.

Read Also: FIFA crisis deepens as UEFA, CONCACAF, AFC accuse Infantino of ‘deception’

“The media will focus on this situation, which will unfortunately significantly take away from the technical nature of the CFU youth competition,” Montagliani wrote.

“As such, I respectfully ask you in the name of football to reconsider your attendance, as it will unfortunately undermine the technical nature of this important youth development activity.”

Infantino’s visit sparks concern

Infantino was invited to the Dominican Republic as a guest of the host country, with the invitation understood to have been issued before his controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal triggered a backlash within football.

The FIFA president was nevertheless warmly received upon his arrival, while several Concacaf member associations continue to support his bid for a fourth term.

Dominican Republic Minister of Sports and Recreation Kelvin Cruz welcomed Infantino’s visit, saying his presence would raise the country’s profile within international football.

“We deeply appreciate your visit to the Dominican Republic; without doubt, your presence in our country puts us on the international football radar and opens us great prospects for growth and development of Dominican football,” Cruz said.

The Under-14 tournament is among several football development initiatives supported through FIFA’s Forward programme.

Pressure mounts on FIFA president

Infantino has faced mounting criticism following his now-abandoned proposal to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise, a commercial entity that would have managed major FIFA competition interests and allowed private investors to acquire a stake.

Several football associations have subsequently withdrawn their support for the Swiss-Italian administrator.

In an open letter, UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation accused Infantino of breaking trust through “deception”.

FIFA’s decision to part ways with senior executive Kevin Lamour after he publicly criticised the FFE proposal has also attracted scrutiny.

Despite the growing opposition, Infantino retains support from South American governing body CONMEBOL and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), while several Concacaf associations remain behind his potential re-election.

The latest intervention from Montagliani adds another layer to the political tensions surrounding Infantino as he faces increasing pressure over his leadership of FIFA.