JAMAICA Football Federation (JFF) President Michael Ricketts is calling for unity between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani as tensions between the two reportedly continue to escalate.

The relationship between both men has come under scrutiny recently amid the fallout over Infantino’s scrapped proposal to sell stakes in FIFA competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cup.

Montagliani, who is a Canadian and Infantino’s vice-president at FIFA, is being touted as a potential challenger for the presidential elections next year. Infantino, who is Swiss, is seeking a fourth term as head of football’s world governing body, and is the only candidate who has publicly declared his intention to run on Sunday, with nominations closing in November.

UEFA, however, have called on Infantino to step down while reports from Europe suggest its member associations would strongly back Montagliani should he enter the race. Several European football associations have publicly withdrawn their support for Infantino, who has been in office since 2016.

Jamaica Football Federation President Michael Ricketts (left) and FIFA President Gianni Infantino greet each other during a Caribbean Football Union event in the Dominican Republic in August 2026.

Last month, Concacaf, which governs North America, Central America, and the Caribbean, released a joint statement with UEFA, and the Asian Football Confederation strongly criticising Infantino.

“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” the statement said.

Montagliani and Infantino reportedly had awkward moments after Infantino’s impromptu visit to the Caribbean Football Union Presidents’ Meeting and Under-14 Challenger Series in Dominican Republic last month, which Ricketts attended. Montagliani had written to Infantino asking him not to attend.

During the tournament, Montagliani said he stood by the statement” and was coy when asked by
Sky News if Infantino should resign.

Concacaf President Victor Montagliani (right) presents Fifa president Gianni Infantino with a personalised shirt during the official opening of Concacaf’s new headquarters in downtown Miami on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.(Photo: Concacaf Media)

“That’s his decision, not my decision,” Montagliani told Sky. “My view is we have to follow proper governance processes and I have to respect my colleagues with that. Once we follow that then those decisions can be made my individuals.”

Reports from Europe also say that Concacaf members were “infuriated” by Infantino’s behaviour.

Ricketts, though, told the Jamaica Observer that both presidents were welcomed equally.

“No truth that Infantino was snubbed,” Ricketts said. “We did show him a lot of respect. In fact, both gentlemen — Montagliani and Infantino — were treated with utmost respect. We showed both of them love.”

However, Ricketts is hopeful that two can come together for football’s development.

“What we really want is for both gentlemen, Infantino and Montagliani, to come together and put the differences aside because obviously right now there’s a strained relationship,” he said.

“I would love for them to just put these issues aside, rekindle the love and warmth and the camaraderie and let’s move on with the growth of the football because both gentlemen in their own jurisdiction and their own portfolio responsibilities have done very well for football and I just hate to think that they are not now seeing eye to eye. The most important thing for me right now is for both of them to come together, put the past behind, get over this strained relationship and both of them continue to do what they’ve been doing for football.”

Ricketts says the JFF board will ultimately decide on supporting Infantino in the upcoming election in Morocco next March. Infantino needs the support of at least 106 of FIFA’s 211 member associations to secure re-election.

However, at least 14 FIFA member associations have publicly withdrawn support, including England and Italy.

Ricketts, though, says he won’t be influenced by the views and stance of some of the established nations.

“When Infantino tried to increase the numbers [for the FIFA World Cup], some of the bigger countries say that he was trying to bring in weak Caribbean teams into the World Cup,” he said.

“When he decided that he would increase our subvention, a number of big countries say that the Caribbean countries can’t manage from a fiscal perspective. So I am not even watching some of these countries because like I say, that’s how politics is. People will have different views and different opinions for different reasons.”

Infantino won a contested election in 2016 to replace Sepp Blatter, defeating Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa but has since been re-elected unopposed in 2019 and 2023.