Trump says it would be 'terrible mistake' to remove Infantino

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that it would be a terrible mistake to remove Fifa president Gianni Infantino from his position. Trump's support follows a joint open letter from Uefa, Concacaf, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), accusing Infantino of breaking trust through deception with his abortive Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal.

This plan would have led to a new company managing commercial and ticketing rights for all Fifa competitions, with 21% sold to a private investment firm. Trump's comments are his first public defense of Infantino since the FFE plans emerged on July 28. Trump praised Infantino as fantastic and highlighted the success of the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

He emphasized that removing Infantino would hinder future success and profitability. Trump claimed he had not spoken to Infantino about FFE proposals, which were led by a venture capital firm founded by Joshua Kushner, Jared Kushner's brother. Infantino has a close relationship with Trump and awarded him the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize in December 2025. Uefa has threatened a boycott of all Fifa competitions and legal action over the failed FFE plans.