U.S. President Donald Trump warned FIFA it would be making "a terrible mistake" if it considered replacing Gianni Infantino, wading into a leadership crisis at world football's governing body.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump called Infantino "fantastic" and credited him with presiding over the most successful World Cup ever staged. The intervention follows an open letter from UEFA, the Asian Football Confederation, and CONCACAF accusing Infantino of breaking trust "through deception" and demanding an independent investigation. The three confederations also warned that leadership in football "is not a possession".
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, came under fire after a failed plan to sell roughly 20% of tournament commercial rights to private investors, a proposal FIFA abandoned on August 1 following UEFA threats to boycott the World Cup. CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani is viewed as a potential challenger ahead of the March 2027 FIFA Congress election, with candidates required to declare by November 18. Norway's football federation said last week it had no confidence in Infantino.