Trump warns FIFA against removing Infantino, calling it a terrible mistake
By Joel Masibo, August 11, 2026US President Donald Trump has thrown his support behind FIFA president Gianni Infantino amid mounting criticism of the football governing body’s leadership.
Trump has warned that replacing Infantino would be a “terrible mistake”, despite growing calls from major football confederations for the Swiss administrator to step aside.
Infantino, 56, has faced increasing scrutiny following the collapse of a controversial proposal to sell part of the commercial rights connected to the FIFA World Cup to private investors.
The latest pressure came from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Concacaf, which jointly issued a strongly worded statement accusing Infantino of undermining trust within the organisation. The statement was widely interpreted as pressure on the FIFA president to resign.
Trump, however, has taken a contrasting position and publicly defended Infantino.
In his post on Truth Social on Monday, August 10, 2026, the US president wrote: “FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino.
“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! Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DJT”.
Trump and Infantino developed a close relationship in the period leading up to the 2026 World Cup, which was staged across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The two men were seen together on several occasions, including meetings at the Oval Office and the World Cup final.
Infantino also awarded Trump FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize in December 2025, a decision that generated controversy at the time.
The dispute over FIFA’s proposed World Cup investment deal has further complicated Infantino’s position. Trump’s son-in-law’s brother, Joshua Kushner, was reportedly viewed as the leading candidate to acquire a $4.2 billion (£3.1bn) stake.
That proposal ultimately fell apart following strong opposition from sections of the football community. UEFA was particularly critical, with European nations reportedly threatening to boycott the tournament if the plan proceeded.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin, AFC president Sheikh Salman Bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa and Concacaf president Victor Montagliani were among those behind the latest criticism of Infantino.
FIFA criticised
Their statement challenged the way FIFA had handled the proposed transaction and demanded greater accountability from the organisation’s leadership.
It read: “This is about something more fundamental: the integrity of the game, and the integrity of those elected to lead it.
“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding – or demanding – power to be held.
“It is a duty of service to the football family that entrusts it.
“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.
“Fifa’s recent letter to its Vice-Presidents and 211 Member Associations acknowledges that mistakes were made in the process.
“It treats this as a failure of communication, when what football witnessed was a failure of judgment.
“A proposal advanced on a compressed timeline, without meaningful consultation, and pushed toward a deadline before Member Associations could properly review its terms is not the product of an oversight — it is the product of a design intended to limit scrutiny.
“It did not acknowledge that the proposal itself was inherently wrong.
“There remains no recognition that attempting to sell an interest in the Fifa World Cup was a profound failure of judgment, not just a procedural misstep, but a fundamental breach of trust with the very institutions Fifa exists to serve.”
The confederations have also called for an independent investigation into FIFA’s recent actions instead of allowing the organisation to conduct an internal review.
Questions have additionally been raised about the composition of a recent FIFA crisis meeting in Morocco, with only one election official reportedly involved and no FIFA Council representatives or member associations taking part.
UEFA, AFC and Concacaf are understood to be pushing for Infantino to leave his position immediately and abandon plans to seek another term in office at the FIFA election scheduled for March.
FIFA rejects criticism
FIFA has strongly rejected the growing criticism and defended Infantino’s mandate, as well as issuing an apology to member associations.
In a statement, the organisation said: “The Fifa President was democratically elected by Fifa’s Member Associations and continues to serve with their mandate.
“It is increasingly evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine Fifa and its president.
“Those who do not have the support of Fifa’s Member Associations should not seek to achieve through allegation, insinuation or misinformation what they cannot achieve through Fifa’s established democratic processes.
“Fifa welcomes legitimate scrutiny. But scrutiny is not a licence to distort facts, amplify unsubstantiated allegations or manufacture distractions designed to undermine progress.”
The pressure on Infantino has intensified further in recent days, with additional reports raising questions about his leadership and past conduct.
Even Zug 94, the Swiss club from Infantino’s hometown, has reportedly declined to support him as his position at the head of world football comes under increasing pressure.