United States President Donald Trump defended FIFA president Gianni Infantino, whose resignation was demanded by three continental confederations over a now-abandoned plan to bring in private capital.
“FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they were to consider replacing their president Gianni Infantino,” Donald Trump wrote.
In a message posted on his own platform, Truth Social, on Monday, the American president described Infantino as fantastic. “He just presided over the most successful World Cup,” Donald Trump said, adding that if the FIFA leader were to step down, “the competition would never again be as successful or as profitable.”
The 2026 World Cup, held between June and July in the United States, Mexico and Canada, was the most profitable ever, generating nearly $15 billion (€13 billion) in revenue.
Read more about this topic: FIFA denounces “concerted and ongoing effort” to weaken Infantino
During the 2026 World Cup, Trump successfully asked Gianni Infantino to suspend a red card issued to a U.S. national team player, allowing Folarin Balogun to face Belgium in the tournament’s round of 16. Infantino also created the “FIFA Peace Prize,” which he awarded to the U.S. President in December. Donald Trump had long publicly expressed his desire to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
FIFA had intended to raise up to $4.2 billion (€3.64 billion) by selling private investors a minority stake, of up to 20%, in a new company that would manage the organization’s commercial and event operations. Among the potential investors, critics had identified the investment fund Thrive Eternal, founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
Also on Monday, the UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC football confederations accused the FIFA president of a “major breach of trust.” In an “open letter to the football family,” the three bodies representing Europe (UEFA), Central America, North America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), and Asia (AFC), renewed their criticism of Gianni Infantino and what they consider to be self-centered leadership.
“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about flaunting — or demanding — power to exercise it. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it to you. When trust is broken through deception, when one person places themselves above the collective that granted them authority, that duty has been abandoned,” they stated in the letter.
Read more about this topic: UEFA weighs legal action against FIFA, demands preservation of documents
The letter is signed by the presidents and secretaries-general of UEFA (Aleksander Ceferin and Theodore Theodoridis), CONCACAF (Victor Montagliani and Philippe Moggio), and AFC (Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and Datuk Seri Windsor John).
The letter also criticizes Infantino’s recent trip to Morocco, with UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF denouncing behavior that, they say, reinforces the perception of someone who believes football owes him something.
