US President Donald Trump publicly advised against efforts to pressure FIFA President Gianni Infantino into stepping down. Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, he characterized replacing Infantino as a “terrible mistake,” arguing that Infantino had directed “the most successful World Cup that has ever taken place.” Trump further claimed that the World Cup would never be as successful or profitable again if he were not in the role.
Trump’s comments follow an open letter issued by UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). This letter accused Infantino of breaking the trust of the organizations through deception related to the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. The FFE plan was intended to establish a new entity to manage the commercial and ticket rights for all FIFA competitions, including the World Cups, with 21 percent of the company slated for sale to a private investment firm.
It should also be noted that Infantino has maintained a close relationship with Trump. In December 2025, Infantino awarded Trump the FIFA “Peace Prize.”
