Washington.- United States President Donald Trump publicly came to the defense of Gianni Infantino at a time when the FIFA president is facing growing international pressure from major confederations that are questioning his management and demanding changes in the leadership of the world’s top soccer governing body.
Trump used his Truth Social platform to warn that FIFA would be making a “terrible mistake” if it considered replacing Infantino, becoming one of the most influential international figures to back him during one of the most significant institutional crises the leader has faced since taking office in 2016.
The U.S. president particularly highlighted Infantino’s management during the 2026 World Cup, held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and asserted that the tournament achieved historic results in both organization and profitability.
For Trump, the continuity of the Italo-Swiss leader is fundamental to maintaining those levels of success. In his message, he asserted that if Infantino leaves the presidency, future editions of the World Cup would struggle to achieve similar results.
The presidential endorsement comes as UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) increase their questioning of FIFA’s leadership. The three organizations have demanded greater transparency, accountability, and significant changes in the way decisions are made within the institution.
The crisis was intensified by the project known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), an initiative that intended to allow the entry of private investors through the commercialization of a 20% stake in the commercial rights of the World Cup.
The project contemplated an operation valued at around 4.2 billion dollars, but it ended up being withdrawn after causing strong rejection within the international football structure.
One of the main criticisms was precisely the way in which the proposal was developed. UEFA, Concacaf, and the AFC denounced that an operation of such importance was pushed forward without sufficient consultation with the member federations and demanded an independent review of what happened.
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Organizations consider that the problem transcends a communication failure and directly affects FIFA’s governance principles. The organization ended up withdrawing the initiative and acknowledged errors in the way it was managed.
The conflict has caused divisions even within the confederations themselves. While the United States and Canada federations backed the challenges against Infantino’s management, the Mexican Football Federation distanced itself from that position and expressed its support for the leader.
Infantino is not completely isolated either. Although he faces opposition from Europe, Asia, and part of Concacaf, he maintains significant support among African and South American federations, a determining factor against any attempt to remove him from the presidency.
Trump’s intervention now adds a political component to a dispute that was initially concentrated within football structures. The relationship between both leaders strengthened considerably during the preparations and celebration of the 2026 World Cup, where they appeared together at numerous official events.
The link has also sparked criticism due to the principle of political neutrality that FIFA must maintain. Organizations linked to sports transparency and governance have previously questioned the closeness between Infantino and the American president.
The controversy also comes at a decisive moment for the future of the organization. Infantino maintains aspirations to continue at the head of FIFA and must retain sufficient support among the 211 national associations that make up the institution to ensure his tenure.
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The scenario turns the coming months into a test of strength between those who consider a renewal of the leadership necessary and the federations that continue to support the current president.
With his statement, Trump made his position clear: amid an internal rebellion questioning Infantino’s leadership, the American president openly bets on his continuity and places the FIFA crisis on the international political stage as well.
