Victor Montagliani, the Canadian president of Concacaf, has ascended to the highest echelons of global football, orchestrating the 2026 World Cup in North America and positioning himself as a potential successor to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. However, his rise has been shadowed by controversies, including allegations of covering up sexual abuse by a coach and governance concerns over a lucrative media rights deal.
Early Life and Rise in Canadian Soccer
Born Vittorio Montagliani in East Vancouver in 1960, he grew up in an immigrant neighborhood and played soccer for Columbus FC, a club his father helped found within the Italian Canadian Sports Federation. After an ankle injury ended his playing career—he had made Canada's national futsal team—Montagliani earned a political science degree and worked as a flight attendant and in insurance. In 2002, he joined the Vancouver Metro Soccer League board, became president of BC Soccer within two years, and was elected president of Canada Soccer in 2012.
Concacaf Presidency and 2026 World Cup Bid
Montagliani was in Zurich in May 2015 when FIFA corruption arrests upended Concacaf. After the indictment of presidents Jeffrey Webb and Alfredo Hawit, Montagliani chaired a committee to run Concacaf and won the presidency in 2016, becoming the first non-Caribbean leader since 1969. He campaigned personally, visiting all 41 member associations. As a FIFA vice-president, he spearheaded the joint North American bid for the 2026 World Cup, convincing then-US Soccer president Sunil Gulati to collaborate. “You just lost the last two bids... They hate your guts, dude,” Montagliani recalled telling Gulati. He added Mexico to create an unbeatable coalition, saying, “If we can put maple syrup and churros on your attitude, we’ll win.”
Controversies: Birarda Scandal and CSB Deal
Despite his success, Montagliani faced criticism over Canada Soccer's handling of sexual abuse allegations against coach Bob Birarda. In 2008, players reported Birarda's misconduct; after a cursory investigation, Canada Soccer parted ways with him, citing health reasons. Montagliani led a meeting where players were told Birarda left for unspecified health issues. Birarda continued coaching until his 2022 conviction. The 2022 McLaren Report found Canada Soccer's failure to terminate Birarda “afforded him the opportunity to continue... putting other players at potential risk.” Montagliani has denied covering up abuse, saying in a 2019 Guardian interview, “Absolutely, the allegations were treated seriously.” He told a parliamentary committee in 2023 he was unaware of the depth of Birarda's actions.
Montagliani also engineered Canada Soccer Business (CSB), a private company that secured exclusive media and marketing rights for Canada Soccer until 2037, paying only $3 million in 2019 with annual increases of about $500,000. The deal was criticized for lopsided terms and linked to labor disputes with national team players. In February 2025, it was renegotiated to give Canada Soccer “well over $100 million,” according to CEO Kevin Blue, suggesting the money had always been available. Montagliani told a parliamentary inquiry he had no involvement after leaving for Concacaf.
Leadership Style and Future Ambitions
Montagliani has been loyal to allies, appointing former Canada Soccer president Nick Bontis to Concacaf's executive council and former general secretary Peter Montopoli to a senior 2026 World Cup role. Bruno De Vita, a Vancouver attorney, has served as deputy chair of the FIFA Ethics Committee Investigative Chamber since 2016. Critics say Montagliani runs a tight ship; correspondence seen by the Guardian shows him reprimanding a director for speaking publicly about governance concerns. He declined to comment on the correspondence.
Montagliani was unanimously reelected Concacaf president in 2023, with his term ending in 2027. He is seen as a potential FIFA presidential candidate in 2031, though he has not ruled out a bid. “The future will be the future, whatever that is,” he told the Guardian. A successful 2026 World Cup could propel him into the top job.
