U.S. President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind FIFA President Gianni Infantino as football’s governing body faces growing pressure from major continental confederations over his leadership.
Trump said FIFA would be making a “terrible mistake” if it considered replacing Infantino, in comments posted Monday on his Truth Social account.
“He is fantastic,” Trump said, praising Infantino’s handling of the 2026 World Cup, which was hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Trump said the tournament was the most successful World Cup ever and warned it would not be as successful or profitable without Infantino.
Trump’s intervention comes as Infantino faces mounting criticism over a proposal to establish the FIFA Forward Enterprise, a company that would manage commercial and ticketing rights for FIFA competitions. The plan included selling a 21% stake to a private investment company before it was abandoned.
UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf accused Infantino of breaking their trust through what they described as deception over the proposal.
UEFA has also threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions unless it receives assurances that similar plans will not be pursued again. The European body is considering whether to continue participating in FIFA tournaments if Infantino remains in office.
A boycott could put FIFA’s lucrative competitions at risk. The 2026 World Cup generated more than $9 billion, according to FIFA figures.
The dispute comes months before FIFA’s presidential election in March. Infantino is seeking a third four-year term, which would be his final term under FIFA’s current rules.
Trump and Infantino have appeared together at several high-profile events during the 2026 World Cup, including the tournament final in New Jersey, where Trump joined Spain’s players during their trophy celebrations.
