FIFA president Gianni Infantino has defied a request from one of his own vice presidents to stay away from a youth football tournament in the Caribbean. His appearance at the Under-14 event came as FIFA remains embroiled in a growing governance dispute over his withdrawn plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors.

Infantino posted pictures on Instagram on Saturday showing him meeting political and football officials from the Dominican Republic during a Caribbean Football Union (CFU) youth tournament in Punta Cana. His presence came despite a request from CONCACAF president and FIFA vice president Victor Montagliani to avoid attending the event.

A post shared by Gianni Infantino - FIFA President (@gianni_infantino)

Montagliani had written to Infantino on Friday, warning that his appearance would draw attention away from the youth competition because of the controversy surrounding the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal.

"I believe that considering the governance crisis surrounding FIFA as a result of your controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, the media will focus on this situation," Montagliani wrote in a letter seen by The Associated Press.

"As such, 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," he added.

FIFA declined to comment on Montagliani's request, while pointing out that the governing body directly funds regional organisations such as the CFU with up to $5 million from each four-year World Cup cycle.

Montagliani has joined UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Asian Football Confederation president Sheik Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa in challenging Infantino's leadership.

The three FIFA vice presidents accused Infantino of "deception" after it emerged that he had been working on a plan to move FIFA's multi-billion-dollar commercial operations into a new subsidiary, with 20% ownership going to investors led by Joshua Kushner.

Infantino abandoned the proposal on August 1 following widespread opposition from football officials and fans. The controversy intensified after FIFA chief operating officer Kevin Lamour publicly criticised the proposal and Infantino's leadership style. Lamour was subsequently fired this week.

The Caribbean could become an important battleground in the power struggle, with its member federations viewed as potential supporters for Infantino as he seeks to strengthen his position against the CONCACAF leadership.

South America's CONMEBOL has also backed Infantino, seeing him as a potential route towards its ambition of hosting more matches at the 2030 World Cup, which it wants expanded from 48 to 64 teams.

Infantino has not taken questions publicly since the 20 billion USD FIFA Forward Enterprise project was first revealed on July 28. He faced further scrutiny in Punta Cana on Friday when Sky News reporter James Matthews asked whether he had betrayed football and should resign.

Infantino did not directly answer. Instead, he thanked the reporter and joked about both men being bald.

The FIFA president is seeking a fourth and final term that would keep him in office until 2031. The election will take place at the FIFA Congress in Rabat, Morocco, next March, with November 18 set as the deadline for candidates to enter the race.

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