Trump and Infantino came under fire during the 2026 World Cup after a red card awarded to a US player was withdrawn following the American president’s appeal.
By Kehinde Okeowo
United States President Donald Trump has risen in defence of embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino, arguing that the world would be making a “terrible mistake” if they ousted him.
He made a case for the under-pressure Italian football administrator in a recent post shared on his verified social media handle.
Infantino has faced a lot of criticism after proposing a FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) arrangement, under which a new company will manage commercial and ticketing rights for all FIFA competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to a private investment company.
Trump’s backing followed UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation issuing an open letter accusing Infantino of breaking trust “through deception” with his aborted FFE proposal.
Reacting to the backlash and the subsequent calls for the FIFA boss to step down, Trump noted that Infantino “just presided over the most successful World Cup”.
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While describing Infantino as a “fantastic” administrator, the American leader noted that world football’s governing body “will never be as successful or profitable again” if he is removed.
”FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino,” Trump wrote.
He added: “He is fantastic, having just 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.”
Trump’s comments mark the first time he has come out in defence of Infantino since the FFE plans came to light on 28 July.
The US leader and the FIFA president came under heavy scrutiny during the 2026 World Cup—co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico—after a red card awarded to American striker Folarin Balogun was withdrawn following the US president’s request.
