US President Donald Trump has thrown his weight behind embattled Fifa president Gianni Infantino, warning the world football governing body against replacing him as pressure mounts over his leadership.
“Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing Infantino,” Trump said in a Truth Social post late Monday.
“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!” he added.
Trump’s intervention comes amid a deepening crisis at Fifa, with Infantino (above, right) facing mounting pressure over a string of controversies, including his plan to sell stakes in the men’s World Cup to private investors.
During the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the US, Trump had asked Infantino to review a red-card suspension handed to US striker Folarin Balogun. The suspension was later overturned, triggering an international backlash.
This included Uefa, Europe’s football governing body, accusing Fifa of crossing a “red line” and describing the decision as unprecedented and unjustifiable.
Infantino is now under pressure following his doomed plan to sell off stakes in the men’s World Cup to private investors.
According to media reports, Uefa and two other continental football confederations have held preliminary discussions about organising competitions independently.
Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and Concacaf, which oversees football in the Caribbean, North and Central America, have accused Infantino of “deception”.
The three confederations are understood to be pushing for Infantino to step down with dignity rather than seek re-election in March next year, while also moving to protect themselves from the crisis engulfing Fifa.
Infantino recently apologised for his proposal to establish Fifa Forward Enterprise, a company which would manage the commercial and operational aspects of Fifa’s tournaments, including a plan to sell around 20 percent of the company to private investors.
But an open letter signed by the heads of Uefa, the AFC, and Concacaf called for an independent review of Infantino’s proposed scheme, stopping short of naming the Swiss president directly.
“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,” the letter said.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” it added. - Mkini
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