Washington (TDI): US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind FIFA President Gianni Infantino, saying it would be a “terrible mistake” for football’s governing body to consider replacing him.
Infantino has come under renewed pressure after UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) accused him of breaking trust and putting himself above the interests of FIFA’s wider membership.
Trump defended the FIFA chief in a post on Truth Social, describing Infantino as “fantastic” and praising his leadership of the recent expanded World Cup. “FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” Trump wrote.
He claimed Infantino had presided over “the most successful World Cup” ever staged and warned that the tournament would not be as successful or profitable if he were removed. Trump’s intervention comes despite the fact that US Soccer has joined critics calling for greater accountability from Infantino, AFP reported.
The latest controversy centres on Infantino’s proposal to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. Infantino eventually withdrew the plan following intense criticism, including a threat from UEFA to boycott future World Cups if the proposal went ahead.
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UEFA had described the proposal as a “shabby, opaque, backroom deal” and accused Infantino of a serious failure of judgment. FIFA, meanwhile, has rejected efforts to undermine the organization and its president.
In a joint open letter, UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC accused Infantino of damaging trust through what they described as deceptive conduct. “Leadership in football is not a possession,” the confederations said, arguing that no individual should place himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority.
They also rejected the suggestion that FIFA’s recent growth could be attributed to Infantino alone, saying the expansion of tournaments was a shared achievement involving FIFA, the confederations and national football associations.
The three bodies also questioned an emergency meeting in Morocco last week where a select group of FIFA management officials expressed “full support” for Infantino.
They argued that the meeting failed to address the underlying concerns surrounding his leadership.
Infantino, a 56-year-old Swiss national who has led FIFA for a decade, is seeking a fourth and final term. The FIFA presidential election is scheduled for the FIFA Congress in March 2027, with candidates required to declare their bids by November 18.
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Infantino had appeared likely to secure another term unopposed after the successful 48-team World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, but the private investment controversy has changed the political landscape. CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani is regarded as a potential challenger.
Infantino has the backing of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), while South American football’s governing body CONMEBOL is also broadly supportive. However, the three major confederations’ opposition represents a significant challenge.
The FIFA president is ultimately elected by individual member associations rather than the confederations themselves, meaning the battle for support will extend beyond the organizations publicly opposing him. Trump’s public endorsement therefore adds a significant political dimension to an increasingly contentious FIFA leadership battle.
