Trump says replacing FIFA president Gianni Infantino would be a “terrible mistake” and warns the World Cup could lose success and profitability.
US President Donald Trump has warned that replacing FIFA President Gianni Infantino could be a “terrible mistake,” saying the FIFA World Cup could lose its success and profitability if Infantino leaves his position. The Times of Russia reports that Trump made the remarks on his Truth Social account while expressing strong support for the FIFA chief.
Trump wrote that FIFA would be making a “terrible mistake” if it considered replacing Infantino. He praised the FIFA president, saying he had overseen the most successful World Cup ever and claimed that the tournament would “never be as successful or profitable again” if Infantino were to leave.
Trump on Gianni Infantino and FIFA Leadership
Trump said Infantino had done a “fantastic” job and specifically highlighted the success of the latest FIFA World Cup.
US-based New York Post reported late last month that Trump wanted Infantino to become the next UN secretary general. According to the publication, Infantino developed a close relationship with the US president during the most recent FIFA World Cup.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup was jointly hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States from June 11 to July 19. Games were held in 16 cities across the three countries. The tournament was also the first FIFA World Cup to feature 48 teams, replacing the previous 32-team format.
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Gianni Infantino’s FIFA Commercial Rights Proposal
Infantino announced a proposal on July 30 to sell a portion of FIFA World Cup commercial rights to private investors through a scheme that could potentially generate tens of millions of dollars.
The proposal includes creating a company that would oversee the major men’s and women’s FIFA competitions, including the FIFA World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. Before the proposal was announced, the organization consulted people close to the administration of US President Donald Trump.
UEFA, the European governing body of football, subsequently said that its 55 member associations had voted to boycott all football competitions sponsored by FIFA. CONCACAF, the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, also rejected Infantino’s proposal.
Infantino’s FIFA Presidency
In March 2023, Infantino was re-elected as FIFA president for another four-year term. At the time, he was 52 years old, ran unopposed and was unanimously elected during the 2023 FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda.
Infantino first became president of FIFA in February 2016 after winning the election at the FIFA Extraordinary Congress in Paris. He was subsequently re-elected to another four-year term in June 2019.
Born in Switzerland, Infantino, now 56, speaks French, Italian and German fluently. He also speaks English, Spanish and Arabic.
Trump’s latest comments underline his strong backing for Gianni Infantino and his continued leadership of FIFA. His remarks come amid debate surrounding Infantino’s proposed changes to FIFA’s commercial rights structure. The Times of Russia will continue to follow developments involving FIFA and its president.
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