US President plays for Infantino's team in match with world football's major confederations

US President Donald Trump has sent a message of public support to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who is under pressure after the controversial project to attract private investors in the commercial rights of the World Cup. While UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF are demanding major changes in FIFA's leadership and accusing the current administration of breach of trust, Trump warns that replacing Infantino would be a "terrible mistake", according to AFP.

Donald Trump thus intervened in a dispute that goes beyond the sporting framework and calls into question the way in which the body that governs world football is managed. The American president stated, in a message published on the Truth Social platform, that FIFA would make a "terrible mistake" if it considered replacing Gianni Infantino. Trump described the FIFA chief as a "terrific” leader and said he had helped to organise the most successful World Cup ever. "He just presided over the most successful World Cup ever,” the US president said, adding that Infantino's departure would put both the sporting success and financial results of the competition at risk. Trump's intervention comes at a time when Gianni Infantino's position is being challenged by some of the most important continental confederations.

• Private investor dispute sparks crisis

The crisis at FIFA erupted after the international body's plan to attract private capital to commercial activities related to the World Cup emerged. According to Reuters, the abandoned plan envisaged selling a stake of about 20% of the commercial rights of the World Cup to private investors for about $4.2 billion. The initiative was developed without proper consultation with member federations and provoked a strong reaction within FIFA. FIFA later dropped the project after pressure from several members of the organization. Infantino and the FIFA leadership acknowledged some mistakes in the way they handled the initiative, but the explanations offered failed to close the dispute. Reuters reported earlier this month that Infantino's position had become vulnerable after the project to attract private capital caused a rift between the FIFA leadership and several continental confederations. UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and CONCACAF, the organization that coordinates football in North, Central America and the Caribbean, have increased the pressure on Infantino. In a joint letter, the three confederations criticized the way the project was prepared and called for an independent review of the decisions taken by the FIFA leadership. Despite the pressure exerted by UEFA, AFC and CONCACAF, Gianni Infantino is not isolated within FIFA.

The FIFA president continues to enjoy the support of several federations and confederations, including those from Africa and South America. Mexico, one of the host countries of the 2026 World Cup, has also distanced itself from the position expressed by the CONCACAF leadership. The support expressed by Donald Trump is also important in terms of the role of the United States in international football. The USA, Canada and Mexico jointly hosted the 2026 edition of the World Cup, and Trump and Infantino have developed a visible political and institutional relationship in recent years. Moreover, the public support of the American president comes at a time when the disputing confederations are trying to build a majority around the idea that FIFA needs a change of direction.

• A financial stake of billions of dollars

The conflict cannot be separated from the increasing financial size of the World Cup. The 2026 edition was the first with 48 teams and represented a large-scale commercial project for FIFA. According to Reuters, the organization was on track for record revenues, estimated at nearly $15 billion for the 2026 World Cup cycle. In this context, the attempt to attract private capital in the commercial rights of the competition has gained particular importance. For supporters of the project, such an operation could have generated liquidity and further capitalized on FIFA's commercial rights. For opponents, however, the initiative raised the issue of control over the most important commercial asset in world football. The stakes are all the higher since FIFA currently manages a sports and commercial ecosystem with revenues in the billions of dollars, and the World Cup is the organization's main source of income. Gianni Infantino has led FIFA since 2016 and has been constantly at the center of controversies related to the direction of the organization. Infantino intends to run for a new term at the FIFA leadership in March 2027. Until recently, his re-election was considered almost certain, but the conflict triggered by the project regarding private investors has radically changed the perspective.