Infantino challenges CONCACAF over football’s global inequality

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has accused wealthy football nations of resisting efforts to reduce the gap with less-developed counterparts, deepening his dispute with CONCACAF leadership. He made the remarks in the Dominican Republic during a meeting with Caribbean Football Union members.

Infantino had been asked by CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani not to attend the CFU Under-14 tournament. Montagliani argued that the FIFA president’s presence could draw attention away from the young players and their competition amid the confrontation between the two officials.

Infantino nevertheless used the visit to promote greater investment and opportunities for football associations outside the sport’s biggest nations. He said FIFA’s role was to help the game develop in every country and suggested that some powerful members did not want poorer nations to make progress.

The disagreement is linked to the abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. CONCACAF, UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation opposed the plan, which failed before reaching the stage of formal discussions. Infantino’s direct engagement with CFU members indicates his preference for building support among individual federations rather than relying solely on confederation structures.

He is seeking another term as FIFA president, which would keep him in office until 2031. His campaign is seen as depending largely on backing from less wealthy member associations, with the Confederation of African Football and the South American confederation among the blocs viewed as potential allies.

The dispute has also drawn criticism from Europe. Football associations from Iceland, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and the Faroe Islands jointly called for Infantino to resign. CAF has backed him, although only a small number of African national associations have publicly followed that position so far. Infantino also announced plans for FIFA’s first Under-15 tournament, open to all 211 member associations, with funding, sponsors and broadcasters needed to support the project.