US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino, warning that removing him would be “a terrible mistake”.
Infantino is facing growing criticism after UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC accused him of undermining trust in football’s governing body over his controversial attempt to attract private investment into FIFA competitions.
Despite the backlash, Trump described Infantino as “fantastic” and credited him with overseeing what he called the most successful World Cup ever.
“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’ll never be as successful or profitable again!” added Trump, who attended last month’s World Cup final alongside Infantino.
Trump’s position differs from that of US Soccer, which has joined those criticising the FIFA chief.
Infantino abandoned his proposal to bring private investors into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, following strong opposition, particularly from UEFA, which threatened to boycott the tournament.
In a joint letter, UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC said, “Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding, or demanding power to be held.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”
Infantino is seeking a fourth and final term at the FIFA Congress in March 2027, with candidates required to declare their intentions by November 18.
He has secured support from the Confederation of African Football, while CONMEBOL is also largely behind him. However, CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is being viewed as a possible challenger.
UEFA renewed its criticism of Infantino on Monday, describing the proposed investment arrangement as “a shabby, opaque, backroom deal” and accusing him of a “failure of judgment.”
Although Infantino received “full support” from senior FIFA directors at an emergency meeting in Morocco last week, the three confederations dismissed the gathering as inadequate.
They said the meeting “represents a continuation of the very pattern of conduct that brought us to this moment.
“It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him.”
