FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended a youth tournament in the Dominican Republic despite a request from Concacaf president and FIFA vice-president Victor Montagliani asking him to stay away. Montagliani cited concerns that Infantino's presence would "undermine" the technical nature of the Caribbean Football Union's Under-14 Series event.
In a letter, Montagliani reportedly stated that media attention surrounding Infantino's controversial, now-scrapped plans to sell stakes in the World Cup would detract from the youth competition. Concacaf, along with UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation, had previously accused Infantino of "deception" regarding these plans.
Despite the plea, Infantino attended the event, which is funded by the FIFA Forward program. His presence was believed to have angered Concacaf nations. When approached by a reporter about his future and the allegations of betrayal, Infantino deflected with a personal remark about the reporter's haircut.
The controversy stems from reports in July that Infantino was considering selling stakes in the World Cup to private investors through a new company. This deal was estimated to be worth around $15 billion, and the plans suggested Infantino could become a highly lucrative commissioner of the new entity after his FIFA term ends in 2031, potentially earning over $50 million annually.
These plans were reportedly discussed among senior FIFA figures and potential investors, with individuals such as Joshua Kushner, brother-in-law to former President Donald Trump, involved, and non-disclosure agreements were signed. Bank JPMorgan was said to be handling the process, and the Trump administration was understood to have been consulted.
Earlier in August, Infantino received "full support" from FIFA's executive leadership after crisis talks in Morocco. However, the proposals were ultimately abandoned due to widespread opposition, including internal dissent within FIFA. Kevin Lamour, FIFA's chief operating officer, who had publicly criticized Infantino's World Cup sell-off plan, was dismissed earlier in the week.