Gianni Infantino is reportedly trying to weaken the alliance between European and North American football officials seeking his removal. His planned appearance at a youth tournament in the Dominican Republic this weekend is viewed as another attempt to retain his position as Fifa president.
Infantino is expected to attend the U14 Boys Challenge organised by the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), whose members include 21 national associations with voting rights in Fifa. Senior representatives from Concacaf – the governing body for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean – have reportedly advised him not to attend as the organisation works alongside Uefa to challenge his leadership.
If the trip goes ahead, Infantino could meet Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, who is widely regarded as his strongest potential rival. The Dominican Republic football association invited Infantino before details of the proposed World Cup commercial deal became public last month.
The Dominican Republic has subsequently supported a joint statement from Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation demanding an independent examination of the Fifa Forward Enterprise plan and an emergency meeting of the Fifa council.
During the controversy of the past month, Infantino has spent time in Morocco and Qatar, relying largely on support from longstanding allies. He reportedly sees the CFU gathering as an opportunity to divide Concacaf’s members and secure backing from smaller countries in the region before the presidential election next March.
Mexico, Concacaf’s most successful football nation, has broken with the confederation by supporting Infantino. He has also gained public backing from the CFU members Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis.
Panama is also believed to have privately expressed support for Infantino, although it has not yet announced its position publicly.
Neither the Boys Challenge nor the related CFU meetings are official Fifa events, making Infantino’s proposed attendance unusual. Fifa did not comment on questions concerning his travel plans.
Uefa, Concacaf and the AFC continue to consider requesting a no-confidence vote against Infantino, a move that could force the dispute to be addressed before next year’s election.
Fifa’s regulations allow its council to call an extraordinary congress whenever 43 of the organisation’s 211 member associations file a written request identifying the matters to be discussed, including a possible no-confidence motion.
Such a congress must take place within three months of a valid request. However, Fifa’s statutes do not establish a specific procedure for holding a no-confidence vote against its president.
Infantino faced additional pressure on Thursday after football supporter organisations from around the world launched a petition demanding that he step down.
Supporters are being asked to add their names to the campaign, which has already received backing from continental and national fan organisations representing all six Fifa confederations.
In a joint statement, the supporter groups described the president’s effort to transfer World Cup commercial interests to private investors as an unacceptable breach of trust. They said the proposal had been developed through private discussions without the knowledge of Fifa’s members or the supporters whose commitment sustains the sport.
The organisations added that a president who repeatedly undermines football and damages respect for the game can no longer justify remaining in charge. They called for Infantino’s resignation to protect Fifa’s credibility and the sport’s future.
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