Gianni Infantino Ignores CONCACAF plea, shows up at youth event

Gianni Infantino Ignores CONCACAF request and attends the under‑14 youth tournament in the Dominican Republic, despite being asked not to appear. The FIFA president posted Instagram photos of his arrival on Friday and his presence on Saturday, contradicting a polite plea from CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani.

CONCACAF's plea ignored

Montagliani wrote to Infantino on Friday, asking him not to attend the under‑14 tournament in the Dominican Republic, citing a governance crisis and the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. He framed the request as protecting the technical nature of the youth competition and asked Infantino to reconsider his attendance over the youth tournament.

Infantino ignored the request, posting Instagram photos on Friday that documented his arrival and then attending the event on Saturday. He greeted political and football officials from the Dominican Republic, appearing on the sidelines despite the polite request.

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Montagliani sided with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and AFC president Sheik Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in a power struggle aimed at ending Infantino's presidency. Their alliance highlights a broader conflict within FIFA’s global governance.

Infantino has been head of FIFA since February 2016 and is set to stand for re‑election in 2027. The Caribbean appearance is viewed as another setback for the Swiss official.

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REUTERS/Dylan Martinez By  Alfie Cairns Culshaw PM GMT+1 Alfie Cairns Culshaw is a football journalist covering the Premier League for GIVEMESPORT. He joined the company in May 2024 and is an avid Arsenal fan and season ticket holder. He previously worked for SportBible where he covered Liverpool and Manchester United, creates YouTube content, and runs a Football blog with over 59,000 Instagram followers. Alfie also produces video for the YouTube channel CheekySport and writes for The Football Faithful, offering data‑led analysis that blends Sport and Bible references. GiveMeSport readers can follow his work here, and he often says, "Give us more insight," reflecting his commitment to the sport.