Infantino provokes Concacaf members by attending CFU meeting in Dominican Republic

Gianni Infantino angered numerous Concacaf nations on 22 August 2026 by attending a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) meeting in the Dominican Republic to announce Fifa-funded development projects worth millions of dollars that had been delayed for months. He had been asked to stay away by CFU president Victor Montagliani.

Infantino used the CFU gathering while seeking support in his re-election campaign, according to multiple sources at the meeting, and his presence drew sharp criticism from several member associations. Montagliani had written to Infantino asking him, "in the name of football to reconsider your attendance", warning that his appearance would overshadow a regional under-14 tournament held alongside the meeting. Despite that request, Infantino arrived at the resort in Punta Cana with a large Fifa entourage including the secretary general, Mattias Grafström, and Elkhan Mammadov.

Sources at the CFU meeting said many Concacaf members were infuriated by Infantino’s behaviour, especially given Montagliani’s plea for him to stay away. The episode echoes earlier complaints from the Jordan FA; its president, Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, accused Infantino of bribery this month when he claimed the Jordan FA had not received prize money from last year’s Arab Cup because the country failed to endorse the president.

Attendees told reporters Infantino appeared to be using the CFU meeting to lobby for election votes among Caribbean countries in the hope of causing a split within Concacaf. Several Concacaf members have aligned with Uefa and the Asian Football Confederation in demanding Infantino’s resignation after what sources described as the World Cup sell-off debacle.

Before making the funding pledges at the CFU meeting, Infantino’s team approached individual member associations to solicit support, sources said. Elkhan Mammadov, described in the meeting as responsible for maintaining relations with Fifa’s 211 members, has been central to efforts to keep associations onside since the Fifa Forward Enterprise scandal broke, and his insistent approach reportedly caused disquiet in some quarters.

One source reported the official Fifa party had tried to frame the governance crisis as a private dispute between Infantino and Montagliani. The two men met briefly and shook hands before the CFU meeting in an exchange captured by Infantino’s personal camera crew and later posted on his Instagram channel.

Mexico, Grenada and St Kitts and Nevis have declared support for Infantino, while the majority of Concacaf’s 41 members are understood to back the alliance with Uefa advocated by Montagliani. The Canadian businessman has not commented since news of the proposed Fifa Forward Enterprise emerged, but has been widely touted in Europe as a possible contender to replace Infantino.

The Uefa/Concacaf pact extends beyond efforts to unseat Infantino, with the two confederations in talks about setting up a joint Nations League in 2028 that could develop further into a new global competition.