Trump throws weight behind Infantino amid FIFA power struggle
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that replacing embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino would be “a terrible mistake,” throwing his support behind the football chief as he faces mounting criticism from several of the sport’s leading confederations.
Infantino came under renewed pressure after UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC signed an open letter accusing the FIFA president of breaking trust “through deception.” The three confederations represent football in Europe, North and Central America, and Asia, respectively.
Despite the backlash, Trump defended Infantino, who presented the U.S. president with a “FIFA Peace Prize” during last year’s World Cup draw ceremony.
Infantino has also faced scrutiny over his unsuccessful efforts to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors, adding to the growing controversy surrounding his leadership of world football.
“FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
Trump called Infantino “fantastic” and said he “presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented.”
“If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!” added Trump, who attended the World Cup final with Infantino last month.
Trump’s backing of Infantino is at odds with U.S. football, which joined the voices lining up against the FIFA president.
Infantino launched, then withdrew in the face of scathing criticism, a plan to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup.
FIFA hit back Saturday at efforts “to undermine” football’s governing body and Infantino.
However, Monday’s joint letter from UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC retorted: “Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding — or demanding — power to be held.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”
UEFA boycott threat
CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani is viewed as a potential challenger to Infantino, who will be up for reelection to a fourth and final term at the FIFA Congress in March 2027. Candidates have to be declared by Nov. 18.
Infantino had looked certain to be unopposed for a fourth term after overseeing a successful World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada until his plans were revealed.
The 56-year-old Swiss, who has been in office for 10 years, has received the backing of the Confederation of African Football, or CAF, while South American governing body CONMEBOL is largely supportive.
Individual member associations, not confederations, vote in the FIFA election.
Infantino has received support from CONCACAF’s Mexico and two AFC members, Kuwait and 2022 World Cup host Qatar, where he has a house.
‘Shabby, backroom deal’
UEFA’s threat to boycott World Cups if the private investment plan went ahead proved pivotal in Infantino withdrawing his sell-off plan.
UEFA had called it “a shabby, opaque, backroom deal” and lashed out at Infantino again Monday over a “failure of judgment.”
After the furor, Infantino received the “full support” of senior FIFA directors at an emergency meeting in Morocco last week, but the three confederations said that was meaningless.
The recent meeting, at which “a select number of members of the FIFA Management Committee” were present, they said, “represents a continuation of the very pattern of conduct that brought us to this moment.”
“It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him.”
Infantino had been basking in the afterglow of the largest-ever World Cup involving 48 teams until his plans divided the sport.
“The growth over the past decade has been real. But that progress was never the work of one individual,” the letter declared.
“It was the product of FIFA, the Confederations, the Member Associations, and the thousands of people who dedicate their lives to the game.
“The expanded tournaments … were shared achievements, agreed together, delivered together.”
Under Infantino’s leadership, “there is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness,” they said.
“That is why we have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve.
“Football’s strength has always been its unity.”
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