FIFA president Gianni Infantino made a surprise appearance at an Under‑14 football tournament in the Dominican Republic, even though CONCACAF chief Victor Montagliani had asked him to stay out of the public eye while the sport’s governing bodies wrestle with internal disputes.
Montagliani warned that the media spotlight on FIFA’s proposed “Financial Football Ecosystem” (FFE) would distract from the youth event, urging leaders to keep the focus on developing talent rather than financial schemes.
The FFE plan, which sought to monetize World Cup revenues by selling profit shares to investors, collapsed after a global backlash and the resignation of FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour, who publicly criticized the proposal.
Infantino has been accused of misleading stakeholders by allegedly planning a secret spin‑off of FIFA’s commercial activities to a group of investors, including billionaire Joshua Kushner, a move that could reshape the organization’s revenue model.
Calls for Accountability
The pressure on Infantino intensified as Montagliani, together with UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and AFC chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, called for his removal, citing a lack of transparency and governance failures.
Election Timeline
Infantino’s re‑election is scheduled for March 2023 in Rabat, Morocco, with a November 18 deadline for candidates to register, setting the stage for a contested vote among world football’s power brokers.
During a Sky News interview, Infantino dodged direct questions, responding only with a light‑hearted comment about his baldness, a tactic that has drawn further criticism for avoiding substantive answers.
FIFA continues to funnel up to $5 million per four‑year World Cup cycle to regional bodies such as the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), underscoring the financial ties that bind the sport’s governing network.