Trump: Removing Infantino as FIFA president would be 'terrible mistake'

Trump has enjoyed a close relationship with Infantino in recent years. (David Ramos / Getty Images)

By Dan Sheldon Aug. 11, 2026 | Updated Share article: 493

U.S. President Donald Trump has offered his support to the embattled Gianni Infantino, stating that it would be a “terrible mistake” if he is removed as FIFA president.

Trump’s post on Truth Social on Monday night followed an open letter from UEFA, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), in which they said trust had been “broken through deception” and remained steadfast in no longer wanting him to continue in his role.

Infantino has been under intense pressure since his now-scrapped FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal was revealed by the media on July 28. The proposal would have allowed world soccer’s governing body to make stakes in its commercial and event operations — including the World Cups and Club World Cups — available for private investment.

Trump, who has enjoyed a close relationship with Infantino in recent years and was alongside the FIFA president at the World Cup final in New Jersey on July 19, has now backed him to stay in post.

“Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, commenting for the first time since the FFE plans emerged.

(Carl Recine / Getty Images)

“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.”

Trump was previously asked about FIFA’s FFE proposals on July 31, but said he had not been in touch with Infantino over the plans.

However, Thrive Eternal — the American venture capital company founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law Jared — is the investment fund FIFA wanted to sell a 21% stake in a new entity that runs its tournaments for $4.2 billion (£3.1 billion).

The World Cup, which was jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, led to Infantino and Trump forging a close relationship.

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Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize by Infantino during the World Cup draw in Washington in December. A FIFA press release at the time stated that the prize was introduced to “reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.”

The award came after Trump failed to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize earlier in the year — an award Infantino had publicly lobbied for him to win via a social media post.

The prize was announced by FIFA in November and, similar to Infantino’s FFE plan, did not receive prior approval from the FIFA Council.

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