US President Donald Trump has waded into the growing crisis surrounding FIFA president Gianni Infantino, warning the global football governing body that removing the Swiss administrator would be a “terrible mistake.”
Trump made the statement on Monday night in a post on his Truth Social platform as Infantino faces mounting criticism over a controversial proposal to sell a stake in the commercial operations of the FIFA World Cup to private investors.
Trump strongly defended the FIFA president, describing him as “fantastic” and praising his leadership of the global football body.
FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino, Trump wrote.
He further claimed that Infantino had presided over the most successful World Cup ever staged and warned that FIFA would not be as successful or profitable without him.
The intervention comes at a time when Infantino is facing significant pressure from some of FIFA’s most powerful confederations over his failed plan to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
The proposed company was designed to manage the commercial and operational aspects of FIFA’s tournaments, with the plan reportedly involving the sale of about 20 per cent of the company to private investors.
The proposal has triggered a backlash from European, North American and Asian football authorities.
UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) issued a joint open letter to the “football family” on Monday, accusing FIFA of undermining trust through the way the proposal was developed and presented.
The confederations described the plan as a “fundamental breach of trust” and criticised what they said was a lack of meaningful consultation with member associations.
They argued that the proposal was pushed through an accelerated process that gave football stakeholders insufficient time to properly examine its implications.
The three confederations called for an independent review of the proposal and urged FIFA to strengthen transparency and accountability in its decision-making.
The criticism came despite an apology from Infantino over the controversial proposal.
The FIFA president had acknowledged concerns surrounding the plan after facing opposition from football officials across different regions.
US Soccer, which is affiliated with Concacaf, also expressed support for the call for reforms.
The organisation said US Soccer, Canada Soccer, the Caribbean Football Union and the Union of Central American Football Federations stood together in seeking changes that would strengthen FIFA’s governance, transparency and accountability.
The controversy has also raised the possibility of a wider confrontation between FIFA and some European football associations.
UEFA said last week that its member associations could still consider boycotting FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, despite Infantino’s apology over the failed proposal.
Infantino has led FIFA since February 2016, when he was elected president following the corruption scandal that rocked the organisation under his predecessor, Sepp Blatter.
His current term expires in 2027, but Infantino has already announced plans to seek another term, potentially extending his presidency until 2031.
With pressure mounting from several football confederations, Trump’s public defence could further intensify the debate over Infantino’s future at FIFA.
For now, Infantino remains in office, but the dispute over the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise has placed his leadership under renewed scrutiny.
