Infantino reshuffles Caribbean management and appoints key ally ahead of FIFA elections

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has made a controversial administrative change by separating the Caribbean region's management from the rest of the CONCACAF member states, a move critics believe is aimed at strengthening his position ahead of the upcoming presidential elections.

According to The Guardian, FIFA has appointed former Swiss player Gilson Fernandes as the director of member associations in the Caribbean, alongside his current role overseeing African associations. Fernandes, a former Manchester City and Leicester player, joined FIFA in 2022, taking charge of African associations before being promoted in 2024 to the position of global deputy for member associations.

Fernandez, 40, will replace Jair Bertoni as a link between FIFA and the 21 football associations in the Caribbean, in a decision communicated to national federations and CONCACAF last week without prior consultations with them.

FIFA has officially appointed Fernández, stating that the move is part of Infantino's vision to make football 'truly global', highlighting his extensive experience in football development programs and his knowledge of the region.

Sources from several European and North American federations believe that the move has electoral dimensions, viewing it as an attempt to dismantle the unity of CONCACAF votes ahead of the presidential elections scheduled for next March. These developments come amid efforts from CONCACAF in collaboration with UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation to remove Gianni Infantino from the presidency of FIFA.

Victor Montagliani, the Canadian president of CONCACAF, is seen as one of the leading candidates capable of challenging Infantino, although he has not yet made a decision regarding his candidacy. Meanwhile, he continues his efforts to be re-elected as president of CONCACAF.

Gianni Infantino has intensified his election campaign recently, particularly after a scandal involving the sale of rights linked to the World Cup. He also ignored a written request from Montaliani not to attend the Caribbean Football Association meeting in the Dominican Republic last month. During the meeting, Infantino announced the approval of several development projects funded by FIFA in the region, worth millions of dollars, which some observers considered an attempt to influence the federations and gain their votes.

Infantino's position has been strengthened after Mexico announced its support for him, while losing support from the Caribbean region would be a significant blow to efforts to oust him. Signs of his successful maneuvers have already emerged, as Jamaican Football Federation President Michael Ricketts announced this week his support for the status quo and criticized UEFA, describing some of its positions as resembling the behavior of "spoiled children."