‘A terrible mistake’: Donald Trump warns FIFA against replacing Infantino
US President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed FIFA President Gianni Infantino, warning that replacing him would be a mistake. This support comes as Infantino faces internal pressure from major football confederations over a controversial proposal to sell future World Cup profits to private investors.
Why it matters
The intervention highlights the intersection of global sports governance and international politics, potentially influencing the upcoming FIFA presidential election.
US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind FIFA president Gianni Infantino as pressure continues to mount on the football governing body's chief, warning that replacing him would be a "terrible mistake".Trump's intervention comes at a time when Infantino is facing one of the biggest challenges to his leadership, with UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) accusing him of a "fundamental breach of trust" over a proposal to sell an interest in future FIFA World Cup profits to private investors.Trump, however, pointed to the success of the recently concluded expanded 2026 World Cup and backed Infantino's continued leadership.‘A terrible mistake’ if Infantino is replacedIn a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote: "FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino. He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in