Donald Trump has warned that Fifa would be making a “terrible mistake” if it moved to remove Gianni Infantino from the presidency, as the governing body of world football faces a widening crisis over a proposed commercial restructuring.
Trump intervenes as Infantino faces pressure over World Cup plan
The US president posted on his Truth Social account early on Tuesday to urge Fifa to retain Mr Infantino, saying the Fifa president had just presided over the “most successful World Cup” and warning that the organisation would suffer commercially and in terms of success if he were replaced.
“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!”
Mr Infantino has been under scrutiny since publishing proposals to create a new commercial vehicle, Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE), intended to run operational and commercial aspects of Fifa tournaments and to sell around 20% of that vehicle to private investors. The idea provoked strong backlash from several continental federations.
Continental federations seek safeguards and review
According to reports, Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf — which governs football in the Caribbean, North and Central America — have held initial discussions about organising competitions themselves amid the backlash. The three confederations have accused the plan of “deception” and have sought mechanisms to insulate themselves from the unfolding crisis.
Those federations are understood to want to give Mr Infantino the opportunity to resign and depart his role with dignity, without seeking re-election at the Fifa ballot scheduled for March next year. At the same time, they have signed an open letter urging Fifa to commission an independent review into the proposals.
| Confederation | Reported stance / action |
|---|---|
| Uefa | Held talks, accused the plan of deception; has threatened boycott of Fifa competitions |
| AFC | Held talks with Uefa and Concacaf and backed call for independent review |
| Concacaf | Joined initial talks; signed open letter urging independent review |
Apology, internal turmoil and other controversies
Mr Infantino has apologised for the FFE proposal. The episode is the latest in a series of controversies that have disrupted relations within global football governance and prompted threats of boycotts and alternative arrangements by Europe’s governing body.
The president’s profile has also intersected with high-profile decisions on the pitch. Earlier in the summer Mr Trump called Mr Infantino to request a review of a red card shown to a United States striker, Folarin Balogun, which was subsequently suspended so the player could play in the round of 16 tie with Belgium — a contact that drew attention to the close links between political and sporting actors in the recent tournament.
- Key flashpoint: proposal to sell about 20% of a new Fifa commercial vehicle (FFE) to private investors.
- Confederation action: Uefa, AFC and Concacaf have held talks, accused the proposal of deception and urged an independent review.
- Political intervention: US president Donald Trump publicly backed Infantino on social media and has previously lobbied on match disciplinary matters.
The developing dispute poses immediate questions about Fifa’s governance, the independence of continental confederations and the future commercial model for the World Cup. Calls for an independent review reflect a desire among major stakeholders for greater transparency; whether that will be sufficient to resolve the crisis or precipitate leadership change remains to be seen.
