FIFA would be making a “terrible mistake” by replacing President Gianni Infantino, US President Donald Trump said in a Monday post on Truth Social.
“He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!” Trump added.
Infantino has been under fire since FIFA proposed to sell stakes to external investors in a subsidiary that will run the global governing body’s tournaments.
Last month, the world soccer governing body said it plans to create a $20 billion subsidiary to run the World Cup and its other events and will offer stakes of up to 20% in it to external investors, causing a backlash from the influential European and South American soccer confederations.
However, Swiss-born Infantino has developed a close relationship with Trump as they worked together to organize this year’s World Cup, in which the United States was one of the host countries.
Trump has said that he believes that everyone in the world respects Infantino and understands that “he has a special ability to bring people together.” Last month, The New York Post reported that he wants the FIFA president to replace António Guterres, the current United Nations secretary-general, who is retiring at the end of the year.
Trump asks Infantino to reverse foul on US player during World Cup
Trump also asked Infantino to review a red-card foul against USA striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup, saying that he did not think the foul called by the “horrible” referee was fair.
FIFA proceeded to reverse the foul, prompting European soccer body UEFA to say that the “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision” crossed a “red line.”
Additionally, in December, Infantino awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.
Corinne Baum, Eitan Elias, and Reuters contributed to this report.
