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US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind FIFA president Gianni Infantino, cautioning football’s governing authority that replacing him could undermine the commercial and sporting achievements of the World Cup.
President Trump issued the warning as Infantino faces growing criticism over the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan, which was withdrawn after strong resistance from several football confederations.
Writing on social media, President Trump described Infantino as an exceptional leader and argued that FIFA would make a serious error by considering his removal.
The American president credited Infantino with overseeing what he described as the most successful World Cup ever, claiming the tournament would not achieve similar financial or global results without him.
The intervention follows a joint statement from UEFA, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation, which accused FIFA’s leadership of eroding confidence through the manner in which the FFE proposal was handled.
The abandoned scheme involved establishing a separate commercial entity to oversee revenue-generating areas such as broadcasting and ticketing for FIFA competitions.
A 21 per cent stake was reportedly intended for private investors.
Thrive Capital, an investment company established by Joshua Kushner, was expected to play a leading role in the proposed arrangement.
Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to President Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
The dispute has raised broader questions about Infantino’s leadership and FIFA’s approach to managing its commercial interests.
President Trump had previously commented on the controversy on July 31, saying he had not spoken with Infantino about the FFE initiative.
His latest remarks mark a more direct defence of the FIFA chief and introduce an additional political dimension to the dispute.
Infantino has maintained a strong relationship with President Trump.
In December 2025, the FIFA president presented the US leader with the organisation’s inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.
The 2026 World Cup, staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico, used a 48-nation format and generated substantial global and commercial attention.
President Trump has attributed much of the tournament’s performance to Infantino’s stewardship, while football authorities critical of the FFE proposal continue to question the direction of FIFA under his administration.
The growing divide among football’s major governing bodies could determine the extent of support Infantino retains as he seeks to remain at the helm of world football.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong