US President Donald Trump has issued a warning to Fifa, stating that replacing Gianni Infantino as president would be a “terrible mistake.” This statement comes amid growing pressure on Infantino following his controversial proposal to sell stakes in the men’s World Cup to private investors.

Trump's Support for Infantino

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump emphasized the potential negative impact of Infantino's removal, asserting that it would lead to a decline in the success and profitability of the World Cup. He stated, “Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” and praised Infantino for overseeing what he described as the “most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented.”

Concerns from Uefa and Other Confederations

Infantino's leadership has faced scrutiny from Uefa and two other football confederations, which have initiated discussions about organizing their own competitions in response to the backlash against him. These organizations have accused Infantino of “deception” and are reportedly considering urging him to resign gracefully before the upcoming elections in March. Uefa has previously threatened to boycott Fifa competitions if their concerns are not addressed.

Following Infantino's proposal to establish Fifa Forward Enterprise, a company intended to manage the commercial aspects of Fifa’s tournaments, he issued an apology. The heads of Uefa, the Asian Football Confederation, and Concacaf have called for an independent review of Infantino's plan, emphasizing that leadership in football should be a duty of service rather than a position of power. They stated, “When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”