Trump defends Infantino: Replacing him would be a "grave mistake"

US President Donald Trump intervened to bolster the position of FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the Swiss-Italian, who faces calls for his resignation from several continental confederations following his controversial, ultimately abandoned project aimed at opening up the World Cup and other tournaments to private investment.

Trump affirmed that Infantino “just presided over the most successful World Cup,” held in June and July in North America, adding that if he were to leave, “the competition would never again see such success or such profitability.”

This statement reaffirms the US president’s closeness to Infantino, who received the “FIFA Peace Award” from him in December 2025, a prize created specifically for him. During the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, Trump also asked him to review a red card issued to a player on the US national team, a request Infantino fulfilled.

Infantino, who is running to succeed himself as FIFA president, has been embroiled in a crisis since the revelation of his controversial project, which was ultimately shelved, to open FIFA to private sector investors.

Trump’s support for Infantino contrasts with the stance of the United States Soccer Federation, which issued a statement criticizing the FIFA president, alongside the Canadian Football Federation and several football associations in Central America and the Caribbean region.