Donald Trump shares his thoughts on Gianni Infantino’s firing as the FIFA president faces growing pressure.
US President Donald Trump has come out in support of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has been facing quite a bit of criticism lately. Infantino was criticized for trying to sell shares of FIFA tournaments to private investors through a plan called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE). Although the plan was dropped and Infantino apologized publicly, UEFA and several of its members have called for a review of FIFA’s leadership ahead of the next presidential election in March 2027. The FA has also pulled its support for Infantino, and there’s even talk of a UEFA boycott.
FIFA has stood by Infantino, saying there’s been a “concerted and ongoing effort” to weaken both the organization and its president. On August 8, FIFA said, “The FIFA president was democratically elected by FIFA’s Member Associations and continues with their support. Some people are trying to hurt FIFA and its president through rumors and misinformation instead of using FIFA’s voting system.”
The Mexican Football Federation and South America’s Conmebol also showed their support for Infantino. Conmebol said it would reject any attempt to remove him without a fair vote from all 211 member countries.
However, on August 10, UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Federation released an open letter accusing Infantino of breaking trust with deception. The letter said leadership in football is about serving the football community, not holding power. They pointed out that the recent proposal to sell shares was pushed too quickly without enough discussion, which they see as a serious mistake and a breach of trust. They also called for an independent investigation, saying FIFA shouldn’t review itself on this matter.
Despite the ongoing pressure, Infantino still has a lot of support from football organizations worldwide. President Trump also voiced his backing on social media on August 11, saying, “FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if they considered replacing president Gianni Infantino. He is fantastic, having just led the most successful World Cup ever, by far. If he leaves, it will never be as successful or profitable again!”
Trump and Infantino have a close working relationship and collaborated on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which may explain the president’s strong support.