Trump defends FIFA's Infantino as UEFA, CONCACAF and AFC demand his removal over failed private investment plan

Trump's intervention

US President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Monday evening defending FIFA President Gianni Infantino, calling him "fantastic" and warning that replacing him would be a "terrible mistake." Trump claimed Infantino had presided over the most successful World Cup ever, generating revenue four times higher than any previous edition. The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, produced approximately $15 billion in revenue, compared with roughly $7 billion from the 2022 edition in Qatar. A FIFA spokesperson denied that Infantino had asked Trump for support.

FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino. He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!

The failed private investment plan

The crisis erupted in July 2026 when details emerged of Infantino's plan to create a subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) that would sell 20 to 30 percent of World Cup commercial rights to private investors. The plan would have brought $4.2 billion into FIFA's accounts, with American venture capital firm Thrive Capital set to lead the investment. Thrive Capital is headed by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law. Trump claimed after the plan collapsed that he had "never spoken with Infantino about the investment." The project was abandoned under pressure from member federations.

Confederations demand accountability

On Monday, UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC published an open letter to the "football family" demanding Infantino's accountability. The three confederations together represent 135 of FIFA's 211 member associations. They were not convinced by a letter FIFA sent to its 211 federations on Wednesday August 5 acknowledging "errors" in the secretive development of the commercial project.

Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding, or demanding, power to be held. It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it. When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.

The three confederations accused Infantino of "deception" and want him to resign with dignity rather than seek re-election. UEFA has previously threatened a boycott of FIFA competitions, and the three confederations have held initial talks about organising competitions themselves.

Infantino's political position

Infantino, the sole declared candidate for FIFA's presidential election scheduled for March 2027, has been seeking new political support. He reportedly requested a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The football associations of England and Wales have withdrawn or are considering withdrawing their support for his candidacy, while UEFA has threatened possible legal action. Norwegian federation president Lise Klaveness has also called for Infantino's immediate resignation. Within CONCACAF, Mexico's federation has publicly distanced itself from the confederation's stance.

Not all confederations oppose Infantino. CAF (Africa), with 54 member federations, and CONMEBOL, with 10 federations including Brazil and Argentina, did not sign the open letter. The OFC (Oceania), with 13 member countries, also did not join. Trump and Infantino have maintained a close relationship since Trump's return to power in 2025. Infantino presented Trump with a newly created "FIFA Peace Prize" in December 2025 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, and Trump successfully asked Infantino to overturn a red card shown to US player Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. Tension between the two reportedly arose around the World Cup final because Trump was unable to personally present the trophy to the Spanish winners.