Infantino travels to Caribbean youth tournament despite being asked not to attend

Despite facing intense pressure and a direct request to stay away, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has traveled to the Dominican Republic for a youth tournament. Victor Montagliani, president of the North American confederation CONCACAF and a potential successor to Infantino, had written to the FIFA chief urging him to skip the U14 event.

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I believe that given the leadership crisis at FIFA, triggered by your controversial 'Fifa Forward Enterprise' proposal, the media will focus on this situation.

Montagliani's letter, as reported by the Associated Press, stated that Infantino's presence would "undermine the sporting character" of the tournament. He expressed concern that media attention would focus on FIFA's leadership crisis, triggered by Infantino's controversial "Fifa Forward Enterprise" proposal, rather than the youth event.

Infantino, however, appeared unfazed. He arrived in the Dominican Republic on Friday and met with the Minister of Sport and Recreation, Kelvin Cruz, local politicians, and the head of the Dominican Football Federation. He also shared photos and videos on Instagram, highlighting his positive interactions and expressing enthusiasm for strengthening the partnership to promote football and create opportunities for young people.

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Therefore, I kindly ask you on behalf of football to reconsider your participation, as it will unfortunately undermine the sporting character of this important youth development measure.

The FIFA president is currently navigating the most significant crisis of his tenure, particularly concerning his now-withdrawn plans to involve investors in future World Cup business. It remains uncertain whether Infantino will attend the youth tournament itself.

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I am very pleased to be here in the Dominican Republic to discuss how we can continue our fruitful partnership to further strengthen football and create more opportunities for young people in the country and the region through sport and our beautiful game.