‘Terrible Mistake’: Donald Trump Warns FIFA Against Replacing Gianni Infantino as World Cup Power Struggle Deepens

Donald Trump has stepped into the growing controversy surrounding FIFA president Gianni Infantino, issuing a blunt warning to football’s governing body as pressure mounts on the Swiss-Italian official.

Trump has described any attempt to replace Infantino as a “terrible mistake”, making it clear that he continues to stand firmly behind the FIFA chief despite the controversy surrounding his leadership.

The US President made the comments on Truth Social on Tuesday, arguing that FIFA could pay a heavy price if it decided to remove Infantino.

“FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino,” Trump wrote.

He went on to praise Infantino and claimed that the FIFA president had overseen the most successful World Cup in the organisation’s history.

“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 added.

The intervention comes at a sensitive moment for Infantino, whose leadership has come under increasing scrutiny following the collapse of a controversial commercial proposal.

Why is Gianni Infantino under pressure?

The immediate controversy centres on FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a proposed company that would oversee the commercial and operational sides of FIFA’s tournaments.

The plan reportedly included the possibility of selling around 20% of the company to private investors.

However, the proposal faced strong resistance from several football confederations, with UEFA emerging as its most vocal opponent.

The disagreement became serious enough to raise concerns about a potential boycott of the World Cup if the proposal was not withdrawn.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf, which governs football across North America, Central America and the Caribbean, also criticised the way FIFA handled the proposal.

Both bodies accused Infantino of what they described as “deception”, deepening the crisis around the FIFA leadership.

FIFA eventually abandons controversial plan

As opposition grew, the proposal was eventually scrapped.

Infantino later apologised following a crisis meeting in Morocco, where senior FIFA officials reaffirmed their support for his leadership.

However, the apology has not completely ended the dispute.

UEFA has continued to express concerns, arguing that abandoning the proposal and apologising does not fully resolve the issues raised by European football.

The controversy has therefore left Infantino facing one of the more significant political challenges of his FIFA presidency.

Trump makes his support for Infantino clear

Trump’s latest comments are particularly notable because his relationship with Infantino has become increasingly close.

The two first met in 2018, but their association has grown considerably during preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Infantino has frequently appeared alongside Trump during World Cup-related events.

Their relationship has also included highly symbolic gestures. Infantino presented Trump with a personalised gold trophy and medal during a World Cup draw ceremony, while Trump was later awarded FIFA’s “Peace Prize” in December.

The relationship has attracted considerable attention as the United States prepares to host the world’s biggest football tournament alongside its North American neighbours.

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Report claims Trump is prepared to back Infantino

Trump’s latest intervention follows a report by Britain’s The Telegraph, which claimed that the US President was prepared to use his influence to help Infantino remain in charge of FIFA.

According to the report, Infantino had reached out to the Trump administration, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as he sought to strengthen his position amid the growing pressure.

Trump’s public defence now removes little doubt about where the US President stands.

For Infantino, however, the political backing comes at a time when opposition from major football confederations remains a serious challenge.

A bigger battle beyond football?

The dispute has exposed the complicated balance of power inside global football.

Infantino controls FIFA, but the organisation’s major confederations retain enormous influence over the international game. UEFA’s resistance, combined with criticism from the AFC and Concacaf, has shown how difficult it can be for FIFA’s leadership to push through major commercial changes without broad support.

Trump’s intervention adds another powerful voice to that battle.

Whether it changes the position of Infantino’s critics remains to be seen.

But one thing is already clear: the fight over Infantino’s future at FIFA has moved far beyond a boardroom dispute — and now has the attention of the White House.