President Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino, warning that removing him now would be a costly blunder for world football.
In a late-night post on Truth Social, Trump argued that Infantino has overseen the most successful World Cup in the tournament’s history and cautioned that the sport would lose momentum and profitability without him at the helm.
It marks the first time Trump has publicly stepped in to defend Infantino since a controversial commercial proposal blew up two weeks ago.
The plan, known internally as FIFA Forward Enterprise, would have handed a private investment firm a significant stake in the commercial and ticketing operations of FIFA’s tournaments, including the World Cup.
The idea collapsed under pressure, but the fallout has only grown since. UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation issued a joint letter accusing Infantino of pushing the deal through without proper consultation, describing it as a serious breach of trust with the federations he was elected to serve.
The confrontation has fueled speculation that one or more confederations could break away from FIFA’s authority if Infantino stays on, though formal talks on that front remain in early stages.
Trump’s intervention adds a political dimension to what was already a tense standoff inside football’s governing body.
The two men have built a visible relationship over the past year, highlighted by Infantino presenting Trump with FIFA’s first-ever Peace Prize late last year.
Infantino is expected to seek a fourth term as FIFA president when elections are held in March 2027.
