FIFA has rejected claims that its president Gianni Infantino reached out to Donald Trump for political backing, dismissing the reports as "pure fiction." The governing body stated that Infantino had not contacted the US president or any member of his administration in recent days.
The denial follows media reports suggesting that Infantino, feeling isolated after a failed commercial deal, had repeatedly tried to reach Trump by phone. FIFA's plan to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling a roughly 20 percent stake in a new venture collapsed after resistance from stakeholders. Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner, had been slated to play a leading role in the proposed project.
A US undersecretary also confirmed there were no plans for talks between Secretary of State Rubio and Infantino. Infantino had presented Trump with FIFA's inaugural Peace Prize in December 2025.