US President Donald Trump has defended under-pressure FIFA president Gianni Infantino, saying it would be a “terrible mistake” to consider replacing the football governing body’s chief amid growing opposition to his leadership.
Trump’s intervention comes after UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) accused Infantino of breaking trust “through deception” over his controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
“Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino,” Trump wrote on social media.
He praised Infantino’s leadership of the 2026 World Cup, saying the FIFA president had presided over the “most successful World Cup” ever and claiming the tournament would not be as successful or profitable without him.
Infantino Faces Growing Opposition
Infantino’s position has come under increasing pressure following the collapse of the FFE proposal.
The plan involved creating a new company to manage the commercial and ticketing rights of FIFA competitions, including the World Cup. A 21% stake in the proposed company was expected to be sold to a private investment group.
UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC subsequently issued a joint letter accusing FIFA’s leadership of damaging trust within the global game.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned,” the confederations said.
Although Infantino was not named directly in the letter, sources indicated that it was intended to provide him with an opportunity to resign.
UEFA Threatens FIFA Boycott
The crisis has escalated further after UEFA threatened to boycott FIFA competitions and said it could consider legal action over the failed investment plan.
There have also been preliminary discussions between UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC about the possibility of breakaway competitions if Infantino remains in office, although substantive negotiations have yet to begin.
The United States Soccer Federation has also called for “meaningful change”, adding to the pressure on Infantino.
FIFA, meanwhile, has described the criticism as part of a “concerted and ongoing effort” to undermine the organisation and its president.
Trump And Infantino Have Close Ties
Trump’s backing of Infantino comes amid a close relationship between the two men.
Infantino awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in December 2025, while the US president has previously praised the FIFA chief’s leadership.
The proposed FFE investment group was also expected to involve Thrive Eternal, linked to US venture capital firm Thrive, which was founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Trump had previously said he had not discussed the FFE proposal with Infantino when FIFA announced on July 31 that the controversial plan had been scrapped.
Questions Over Trump’s Intervention
Trump’s latest comments mark his first public defence of Infantino since details of the FFE proposal emerged on July 28.
The intervention comes at a critical moment for the FIFA president, with opposition growing among several major football confederations.
However, Trump’s support may not be enough to resolve the crisis, with Infantino facing questions over his relationship with football’s governing bodies and the proposed commercial restructuring of FIFA’s operations.
The dispute now leaves Infantino facing one of the biggest challenges to his leadership since taking charge of FIFA.
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