FIFA Chief Infantino Reportedly Begs Trump for Help Amid Scandal

FIFA President Gianni Infantino is reportedly making desperate attempts to secure political backing from the United States as he faces mounting pressure following the collapse of a controversial plan to sell commercial rights for the World Cup. The New York Post reported that Infantino sought a private meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, while simultaneously dealing with increasing internal dissent within FIFA and calls for his resignation.

Sources familiar with the situation suggest Infantino's overture to Rubio was framed as a discussion on how football could serve as 'soft power' for America. However, insiders believe the primary motivation is to salvage his own position. "But it's clear to everyone that this is solely about saving his position. Nothing else matters at this point," one source told the Post.

The 56-year-old FIFA president reportedly feels increasingly isolated due to negative publicity and is trying to find influential allies. However, the U.S. State Department has denied any plans for a meeting between Rubio and Infantino. Assistant Secretary Dylan Johnson tweeted, "There are no plans for @SecRubio to speak with Infantino and there is no call this morning." He advised the New York Post to "check their sources or they could have just asked us."

According to the New York Post, Infantino also made multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact U.S. President Donald Trump by phone after the controversial project fell apart. The plan involved carving out FIFA's commercial activities into a new entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to manage television rights, sponsorships, licensing, and ticketing. The investment fund Thrive Capital was set to acquire a 20% stake for over $4 billion.

The proposal generated significant dissatisfaction among football federations globally, many of whom learned about it through media reports. The situation has escalated into open conflict within FIFA, with one official reportedly calling the move to oust Infantino "Project: Kill the Monster." Adding to Infantino's woes, FIFA's Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour told the Associated Press that he felt "deceived" and was unaware of the secret negotiations surrounding the planned sale of commercial rights.

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There are no plans for @SecRubio to speak with Infantino and there is no call this morning.