Gianni Infantino may have jeopardized support from several Concacaf countries whose votes he wants for his re-election bid after using a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) meeting to unveil millions of dollars in Fifa-backed regional development funding that had been held up for months.
Several people present at the CFU gathering in the Dominican Republic said Infantino’s actions angered many Concacaf representatives, especially because the confederation’s president, Victor Montagliani, had asked him not to attend.
Concacaf’s concerns resemble earlier criticism of Fifa’s conduct from the Jordan FA. Its president, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, accused Infantino of bribery this month, alleging that the country had not received prize money from last year’s Arab Cup because it declined to support him.
Infantino seems to have treated the CFU gathering as a chance to seek electoral backing from Caribbean nations and potentially divide Concacaf. The confederation has joined Uefa and the Asian Football Confederation in calling for him to step down following the controversy surrounding the World Cup deal.
In a letter sent to Infantino on Friday, Montagliani urged the Fifa president “in the name of football to reconsider your attendance”, arguing that his appearance would distract attention from a regional under-14 competition taking place alongside the meeting.
Infantino reportedly ignored the request and arrived at the Punta Cana resort accompanied by a large Fifa delegation. The group included secretary general Mattias Grafström and Elkhan Mammadov, a close supporter responsible for relations with Fifa’s 211 member associations.
Before announcing financial commitments at the CFU meeting, Infantino’s delegation reportedly contacted individual associations to request their backing. Mammadov has been closely involved in efforts to retain their support since the Fifa Forward Enterprise controversy began, although his persistent methods have unsettled some officials.
According to one source, Fifa representatives tried to frame the wider leadership dispute as a personal disagreement between Infantino and Montagliani. The Canadian executive has remained silent since details of the proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise became public, but he has frequently been mentioned in Europe as a potential successor to Infantino.
Infantino and Montagliani briefly greeted each other and exchanged a handshake before the CFU meeting, with the moment recorded by Infantino’s own camera team.
Mexico, Grenada, and St Kitts and Nevis have departed from Concacaf’s broader position by publicly supporting Infantino. However, most of the confederation’s 41 members are believed to favor the partnership with Uefa promoted by Montagliani.
Cooperation between Uefa and Concacaf goes further than efforts to remove Infantino. The confederations are discussing a shared Nations League planned for 2028, which could eventually grow into a new worldwide competition.
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