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Gianni Infantino has been under fire ever since the idea of private investment emerged. It all started with UEFA releasing a statement against it before it became global. Meanwhile, Infantino has gotten support from a very influential person amid the backlash.
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US President Donald Trump has publicly defended Infantino. Not just his support, Trump has also issued a warning that removing him would be a “terrible mistake” following the success of the 2026 World Cup.
Donald Trump backs under-pressure FIFA President Gianni Infantino
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump described Infantino as “fantastic” for overseeing what he called the “most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented.” He added that if Infantino left, the tournament “will never be as successful or profitable again.”
The endorsement comes amid growing pressure on Infantino after the collapse of his FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal. The plan would have created a new company to manage commercial and ticketing rights for FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, with around 20-21% sold to private investors.
It drew sharp criticism and accusations of deception from UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation in an open letter. Infantino later withdrew the proposal and apologised in an emergency meeting which was attended by the FIFA council. However, calls for him to step down have continued from several federations and figures ahead of the next FIFA presidential election in March 2027.
The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, concluded recently with Spain defeating Argentina in the final with a score of 1-0, where Ferran Torres of FC Barcelona scored the winner.
Trump and Infantino have maintained a close working relationship; Infantino awarded the US president the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in 2025. Trump’s intervention marks his first public defence of Infantino since the commercial rights plan became public at the end of July.
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