US President Donald Trump has warned Fifa that removing Gianni Infantino from the presidency would be a “terrible mistake” as pressure continues to mount on the governing body’s leader.
Trump’s intervention comes after Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation accused Infantino of breaking trust over his now-aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.
The FFE plan would have created a new company to manage the commercial and ticketing rights of Fifa competitions, including the World Cup, with a 21% stake made available to private investors.
Trump’s latest comments represent his strongest public defence of Infantino since the controversial plans emerged on 28 July.
“Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino,” Trump wrote on social media.
“He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again.”
Infantino has faced growing criticism since the FFE proposal was revealed, with several football authorities questioning the way the plans were developed and communicated.
UEFA, Concacaf and the AFC recently issued an open letter accusing FIFA of breaking trust “through deception” over the proposal.
The 2026 World Cup was co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, with Spain crowned champions after beating Argentina in the final.
FIFA then issued an apology while reaffirming its “full support” for Infantino. In a statement, the leadership acknowledged “that errors were also made after the proposal was leaked to media”. (Photo by Abdelmajid BZIOUAT / AFP via Getty Images)
Trump had previously said he had not spoken to Infantino about the FFE proposal when he first addressed the controversy on 31 July.
The proposed investor group for FFE was expected to be led by Thrive Eternal, an American venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Trump’s intervention adds another significant voice to the growing debate over Infantino’s leadership, with football’s governing bodies increasingly divided over the future direction of FIFA
