Trump and Infantino: A Controversial Relationship Solidified Since 2018

President Donald Trump has publicly defended FIFA President Gianni Infantino, calling it a "terrible mistake" to remove him from his post. This support emerges as Infantino navigates internal FIFA turmoil following the withdrawal of his proposal for FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE), a project aimed at commercializing World Cup rights.

The FFE project had involved Joshua Kushner, Ivanka Trump's brother-in-law and co-founder of the venture capital firm Thrive Capital. Infantino's proposal faced significant internal opposition, leading to its retraction.

The public association between Trump and Infantino began in 2018, coinciding with the joint bid for the 2026 World Cup hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. Their interactions have included gifts of personalized jerseys and cards at the White House, and meetings at the G-20 summit and the Oval Office.

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it would be a terrible mistake to remove Infantino

Further consolidating their ties, FIFA opened an office in Trump Tower in New York in July 2025. Infantino has referred to Trump as a "close friend" and thanked him for his assistance in organizing the World Cup. These remarks drew criticism from Miguel Poiares Maduro, former president of FIFA's governance committee, who viewed them as a breach of neutrality rules.

In December 2025, Infantino presented Trump with FIFA's first Peace Prize during the World Cup draw ceremony, an act that prompted a complaint from the human rights NGO FairSquare to FIFA's ethics committee for allegedly compromising political impartiality. During the 2026 World Cup, Trump reportedly called Infantino to intervene in a suspension against U.S. top scorer Folarin Balogun, who had received a red card.

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