Trump defends Infantino: FIFA would make a terrible mistake
Imagen: The GuardianUS President Donald Trump defended FIFA president Gianni Infantino this Monday and warned that the organization “would make a terrible mistake” if the federations replace him. In a message published on his Truth Social network, Trump argued that if Infantino leaves, the World Cup “will never be as successful or as profitable again”.
Why he is under pressure
Infantino faces a wave of criticism after the collapse of his plan to create a subsidiary that would manage the tournament and allow private investors to buy up to 20% of the business. The project fell apart after strong rejection from world football, and the official had to apologize.
The confederations of Europe (UEFA), North America (Concacaf) and Asia (AFC) issued a joint letter accusing Infantino of breaking trust “through deception”: “When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that granted him authority, that duty has been abandoned,” they wrote, according to El País.
Not all football is against him
The federations of Argentina, Mexico and Qatar have publicly expressed their support for Infantino. The official maintains a close relationship with Trump, which was widely commented during the 2026 World Cup —the largest and most profitable in history, organized in the US, Canada and Mexico— and gained relevance because the investment fund Thrive Capital, of Josh Kushner, Trump’s brother-in-law, backed the failed sale plan.
EFE quotes the exact words of the US president: “It would be a terrible mistake to replace him”.
What comes next
The pressure on Infantino does not stop: in addition to the confederations’ joint letter, a transparency association reported him to FIFA’s ethics committee over the privatization proposal. For now, Trump’s backing —and that of key federations like Argentina’s— gives the Swiss official breathing room.
The key figure: 20%. The World Cup stake Infantino tried to sell to private investors, which triggered FIFA’s biggest internal crisis in years.
