CONCACAF asks Infantino to skip youth event amid FIFA governance crisis

What the report says

CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani has asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to stay away from a youth football tournament in the Dominican Republic this weekend, according to reporting from Reuters published by Al Jazeera on 22 August 2026. Montagliani said Infantino’s planned appearance would draw attention away from the Caribbean Football Union’s U-14 event and would add to the disruption already caused by the wider dispute around FIFA leadership.

The request comes as Infantino faces pressure from several regional confederations, including UEFA, the AFC and CONCACAF, after a failed proposal linked to selling a stake in the World Cup intensified criticism of his handling of FIFA. Reuters reported that some football officials are discussing the possibility of a no-confidence vote, while Infantino continues to seek a fourth term that would run until 2031.

In a letter seen by Reuters, Montagliani argued that media coverage would focus on the controversy rather than on the tournament’s development purpose. He framed his appeal as a way to protect the technical and youth-oriented nature of the competition. FIFA had not publicly commented in the material provided.

Infantino was nevertheless welcomed in the Dominican Republic by government and football officials, including sports minister Kelvin Cruz, according to the report. The episode highlights how the governance fight at the top of world football is now spilling into regional events, where officials appear concerned that political disputes could overshadow youth and development programmes.