Gianni Infantino asked to stay away from youth tournament amid World Cup controversy

Infantino has been asked to stay away from Dominican Republic youth tournament this weekend

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Published August 22, 2026

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing pressure to stay away from a youth tournament as anger grows over plans driven by his attempted World Cup sell-off.

He was informed in a letter on Friday by the region’s football executive that his pressure at the event in the Dominican Republic would completely ruin the matches.

Infantino received greetings from local politicians but the head of the football confederation for the North America and Caribbean region rejected bluntly opposed his presence at the Caribbean Football Union under-14s tournament.

The statement of Mr. Montagliani, who is also a FIFA president, reads: “I respectfully ask you in the name of football to reconsider your attendance as it will unfortunately undermine the technical nature of this important youth development activity.”

FIFA does provide millions of dollars in government financial support for the country from cash generated by the World Cup.

CONCACAF has co-signed a letter with the European and Asian football confederations pushing for Infantino to resigned.

Notably, Infantino can explore public support in CONCACAF from Mexico, but the other 2026 World Cup co-hosts such as Canada and Mexico condemned his leadership.

Further, there is a FIFA presidential election next year and FAs including England, Wales and Scotland have revoked prior endorsements for Mr. Infantino.

Ruqia Shahid
Ruqia Shahid is a reporter specialising in science, focusing on discoveries, research developments, and technological advancements. She translates complex scientific concepts into clear, engaging stories, helping readers understand the latest innovations and their real-world impact through accurate, accessible, and insight-driven reporting.
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