US President Donald Trump has said it would be a “terrible mistake” for Fifa to remove Gianni Infantino from his position as president, offering his most forceful defence of the embattled football administrator since a major governance crisis erupted last month. Trump’s involvement comes after three leading regional football bodies – Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation – released a damning open letter criticising Infantino of breaking trust “through deception” over a unsuccessful plan to commercialise Fifa’s commercial rights. The contentious Fifa Forward Enterprise plan would have established a new company to manage ticketing and broadcasting rights for all Fifa competitions, with 21 per cent sold to private investors. The row has sparked threats of boycotts and legal action from European football’s regulatory authority.
Trump’s Unexpected Support for Embattled FIFA Chief
Trump’s open support of Infantino represents a striking display of support for the Fifa president throughout one of the most challenging stretches of his tenure. Posting on social platforms, the American leader praised Infantino’s oversight of world football’s regulatory authority, drawing attention to what he characterized as the unprecedented success of the 2026 World Cup, which was co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico that summer. “He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented,” Trump wrote, suggesting that Infantino’s removal would be detrimental to Fifa’s future commercial prospects and competitive standing.
The moment of Trump’s action is notably noteworthy given that he had formerly claimed he had not talked about the disputed FFE proposals with Infantino when the scheme initially emerged on 28 July. The two men have a notably close relationship, with Infantino giving Trump the first Fifa Peace Prize in December 2025. Trump’s endorsement offers a significant political lifeline to Infantino as he confronts mounting pressure from three principal continental confederations pledging boycotts and legal measures over the failed financial scheme.
The FFE Dispute Clarified
The Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal has emerged as the central focus of an extraordinary governance crisis within world football’s regulatory authority. The scheme, which Fifa officially abandoned following sustained pressure from continental confederations, constituted an well-intentioned but ultimately doomed attempt to reorganise how the organisation manages its most lucrative commercial assets. The plan’s downfall has laid bare deep divisions within Fifa’s leadership and prompted serious inquiries about openness and responsibility at the uppermost tiers of the sport.
What Was the Rejected Proposal?
- Set up a new company to oversee all Fifa tournament commercial and ticketing rights globally.
- Sell 21 per cent stake to investment company Thrive Eternal, created by Joshua Kushner.
- Would have impacted broadcasting and ticketing revenues from World Cups and other significant tournaments.
- Confederations criticised Infantino of pushing forward with scheme through deception without sufficient consultation or endorsement.
Multiple Organisations Release Scathing Letter
Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation have issued a scathing public statement criticising Infantino’s management of the FFE proposal, accusing him of breaking trust “through deception” with football’s major continental organisations. The combined declaration, issued following Fifa claimed there was a “concerted and ongoing effort” to undermine the organisation, represents an remarkable display of unified support amongst three leading confederations covering Europe, North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Asia. The letter’s carefully worded language, whilst avoiding naming Infantino directly, has been broadly understood as a barely disguised appeal for his resignation.
The three confederations have intensified their stance to extraordinary levels, with Uefa alone signalling both a complete boycott of all Fifa competitions and potential legal action against the regulatory authority. BBC Sport has learned that early conversations have taken place between the confederations regarding possible breakaway competitions should Infantino stay in position, though substantive negotiations have yet to get underway. The severity of these declarations highlights the depth of anger amongst football’s major confederations over what they regard as a fundamental betrayal of institutional trust.
Confederation Posts
| Confederation | Stated Action |
|---|---|
| Uefa | Threatened boycott of all Fifa competitions and potential legal action |
| Concacaf | Signatory to joint letter condemning deception and breach of trust |
| Asian Football Confederation | Signatory to joint letter condemning deception and breach of trust |
| Fifa | Claims concerted effort to undermine organisation and president |
The Kushner Connection and Political Consequences
The FFE proposal’s backing by Thrive Eternal, a investment company established by Joshua Kushner—sibling of Trump’s son-in-law Jared—has introduced a dimension of political intrigue to the governance crisis engulfing Fifa. This familial connection to the Trump inner circle raises questions about potential conflicts of interest and whether personal relationships influenced the contentious investment plan. Trump’s swift and emphatic defense of Infantino, combined with his earlier assertion that he had not discussed the FFE proposals with the Fifa president, creates an apparent contradiction that has drawn scrutiny from observers monitoring the convergence of sports governance and high-level political influence.
Trump’s support for Infantino appears carefully positioned, occurring only months following he received the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize from the Fifa president in December 2025. The award, coupled with his recent statements praising the 2026 World Cup as “the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented,” indicates a growing connection between the American president and Fifa’s leadership. Critics contend that Trump’s defence of Infantino, especially considering the Kushner family’s financial interest in the failed FFE proposal, undermines claims of impartiality and raises questions about whether political considerations are influencing decisions about world football’s governance structure.
What Lies Ahead for the Organisation?
The way ahead for Fifa stays deeply ambiguous as the three leading confederations continue to press on Infantino to resign. Uefa’s threatened boycott marks an historic challenge to Fifa’s standing, whilst preliminary discussions about prospective breakaway competitions emphasise the gravity of the confederation’s stand. However, substantive negotiations have yet to commence, suggesting that a resolution is distant. The ball is now squarely in Infantino’s court, with sources claiming that his departure would allow him to depart with grace rather than endure a prolonged struggle over his position.
Trump’s involvement may deepen the complexity, as his open backing could embolden Infantino to resist calls for his departure. Yet the endorsement by the American president, whilst of political importance, carries limited weight within football’s administrative framework where the confederations wield considerable authority. The weeks ahead will be critical in determining whether Infantino can endure the crisis or whether the intensifying pressure necessitates a change at the helm. The potential for litigation by Uefa adds another dimension to the situation, with the ramifications extending much further than the urgent matter of succession planning.
- Uefa may move forward with court proceedings against Fifa over the unsuccessful FFE investment initiative and administrative shortcomings.
- Rival league talks may gather pace if Infantino refuses to resign or undergo official dismissal processes.
- Fifa’s business partnerships and World Cup broadcasting rights remain uncertain amid the continued executive instability.