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FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been asked by Concacaf president Victor Montagliani to reconsider attending a youth football tournament in the Dominican Republic this weekend.
In a letter seen by the BBC, Montagliani referenced the ongoing "governance crisis surrounding FIFA" and urged Infantino to stay away from the CFU Under-14 Series.
Montagliani, who is also a FIFA vice-president, said Infantino's attendance could distract attention from the tournament and undermine its purpose as a youth development event.
"The media will focus on this situation, which will unfortunately significantly take away from the technical nature of the CFU youth competition," Montagliani wrote.
He respectfully asked Infantino to reconsider his attendance, saying it would be in the best interests of football and the young players participating.
Infantino was invited to the tournament as a guest of the Dominican Republic. The invitation is believed to have been made before his controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which has since created significant opposition and put his position under pressure.
Despite the concerns raised by Montagliani, Infantino received a warm welcome when he arrived in the Caribbean nation. Several Concacaf member associations have also backed his bid to remain FIFA president for a fourth term.
Dominican Republic sports and recreation minister Kelvin Cruz welcomed Infantino's visit, saying his presence had brought international attention to the country and could create opportunities for the development of Dominican football.
The Under-14 tournament is among several football development initiatives supported through FIFA's Forward programme, which provides funding to member associations for football-related projects.
Infantino has faced growing criticism over his now-abandoned FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which involved plans to sell stakes in the World Cup and other competitions to private investors.
The proposal sparked opposition from several football associations and contributed to growing tensions within FIFA.
A number of governing bodies have since withdrawn their support for Infantino. He was also accused by UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation of damaging trust through what they described as "deception" in an open letter.
FIFA's decision to dismiss senior executive Kevin Lamour after he criticized Infantino has also attracted criticism.
Despite the growing opposition, Infantino continues to have strong support from influential football bodies. South America's governing body Conmebol and the Confederation of African Football, CAF, remain among those backing the Swiss-Italian administrator.
The dispute highlights the wider tensions surrounding FIFA's leadership as Infantino seeks another term in office. His presence at the youth tournament could therefore attract significant attention away from the young players and the development objectives of the competition.
