11.8.2026
US President Donald Trump has backed under fire FIFA president Gianni Infantino who is being urged to resign from the world football governing body.
European, North and Central America and Asia federations want Infantino gone after his futile attempt to get Trump’s family members involved in the football organisation through his proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise.
“FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!” added Trump, who attended the World Cup final with Infantino last month.
CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is viewed as a potential challenger to Infantino, who will be up for re-election for a fourth and final term at the FIFA Congress in March, 2027. Candidates have to be declared by November 18.
Infantino had looked certain to be unopposed for a fourth term after overseeing a successful World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada until his plans were revealed.
The 56-year-old Swiss, who has been in situ for 10 years, has received the backing of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) while South American governing body CONMEBOL is largely supportive.
UEFA’s threat to boycott World Cups if the private investment plan went ahead proved pivotal in Infantino withdrawing his sell-off plan.
UEFA had called it “a shabby, opaque, backroom deal” and lashed out at Infantino again on Monday for a “failure of judgment”.
After the furore, Infantino received “full support” of senior FIFA directors in an emergency meeting in Morocco last week, but the three confederations said that was meaningless.
President Donald Trump and Infantino...buddies.