Infantino defies FIFA vice president, makes appearance in the Caribbean

What the report says

FIFA president Gianni Infantino made a rare public appearance in the Caribbean on Saturday, attending a youth football event in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, despite a request from CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani that he stay away. Al Jazeera reported that Montagliani had warned Infantino his presence could distract from the football and overshadow the tournament, which involved under-14 teams at a Caribbean Football Union event.

Infantino posted images on Instagram showing meetings with political and football officials in the Dominican Republic. The appearance came amid continuing fallout over his now-abandoned plan to create a commercial FIFA subsidiary tied to future World Cup revenues and partly backed by outside investors. That proposal drew strong criticism from senior football officials and fans, and Infantino withdrew it earlier this month.

According to Al Jazeera, Montagliani and other FIFA vice presidents have opposed Infantino’s leadership style and have criticized the commercial plan as part of a broader governance dispute inside the sport’s world body. The article also noted that FIFA declined to comment directly on Montagliani’s letter, while pointing to its funding support for regional confederations such as CONCACAF and the Caribbean Football Union.

The episode matters because it highlights the widening split among football’s top officials at a time when Infantino is seeking re-election for a fourth and final term next year. Al Jazeera also reported that Infantino has avoided taking questions publicly since the commercial proposal was revealed.