Why FIFA Voters Probably Won’t Punish Infantino For His Trump Ties

As the 2024 U.S. midterm elections marked a significant victory for Democrats, with the party gaining a substantial number of seats in both the House and Senate, it raised questions about the potential repercussions for FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The Trump-Infantino Connection During the buildup to the 2026 World Cup, Infantino was closely aligned with then-U.S.

President Donald Trump. He bestowed the FIFA Peace Prize upon Trump at the World Cup draw in December 2025 and frequently praised the administration's leadership regarding the tournament. Trump also credited FIFA for allowing Folarin Balogun to play despite a red card in the previous round. Despite these ties, Infantino has managed to maintain his position.

The FIFA Structure In FIFA, all 211 member nations have equal representation, with no correlation to population. This structure makes it highly unlikely for a leader like Infantino to be ousted, as the financial benefits provided to smaller member nations are significantly enhanced. Infantino has been instrumental in increasing FIFA's revenue, generating approximately $13 billion during the 2026 World Cup cycle, a 70% increase from the previous cycle.

Moreover, FIFA has proposed a system that would increase base-level payments for every federation from $10 million to $25 million over the next cycle. These payments may not significantly impact large nations like the U.S., which has an annual budget of nearly $400 million in 2027. However, they could be crucial for smaller federations.

The Need for Reform While there is a desire to reform FIFA's representation to account for population, this could potentially undermine the already underprivileged position of smaller members. Proportional representation based on economic power might favor nations with a strong historical competitive success, but it could also further concentrate power in nations that are already dominant.

Therefore, it seems unlikely that FIFA voters will take action against Infantino, as it would go against the very structure that has protected him and benefited smaller member nations.