FIFA denies report of president Infantino reaching out to Trump administration to save his job

FIFA has strongly denied reports suggesting that its president, Gianni Infantino, approached the administration of former US President Donald Trump for assistance in retaining his presidency. The denials come amid mounting pressure on Infantino following the announcement of a controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) plan.

The FFE plan aimed to bring private investment into FIFA competitions by selling minority stakes in a new entity that would manage commercial rights, including broadcasting and sponsorship. This proposal generated significant backlash from the football community, particularly UEFA, which expressed concerns that the sport, especially the FIFA World Cup, was being put up for sale. UEFA and its member associations had threatened to boycott FIFA competitions in protest.

Facing intense criticism, FIFA subsequently abandoned its plans to establish the FFE. However, Infantino continues to face opposition within world football. The English Football Association (FA) is reportedly set to withdraw its support for his re-election, following a similar move by the Football Association of Wales.

Reports from the New York Post, as cited by Goal.com, had claimed that Infantino had reached out to the Trump administration. These reports suggested the discussions were intended to explore how football could serve as a form of "soft power" for the US, but were widely interpreted as a move to shore up support for Infantino's re-election. However, a FIFA source, speaking to Fox News, has categorically denied any contact, past or future, between Infantino and members of the Trump administration, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

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He (Infantino) wanted to reach out to the Secretary and talk about how football could be a form of soft power for America, but we all know it is about protecting the position. It is not about anything else at this stage.