Trump backs Infantino as Fifa chief faces mounting pressure
United States President Donald Trump has backed Fifa boss Gianni Infantino, who is under pressure over allegations of a workplace affair and criticism of a failed private-investment scheme.
“Fifa would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing president Gianni Infantino,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, calling the Italian-Swiss lawyer “fantastic” and saying he “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’s backing of Infantino contrasts with the response of US Soccer, which issued a statement critiquing the Fifa leader, alongside Canada Soccer and football organisations in Central America and the Caribbean.
The sport’s European governing body, Uefa, has been vehement in its condemnation of Infantino’s scuppered plan to sell off part of the World Cup, joining the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in a letter over the plan dismissed by Uefa as a “shabby, opaque, backroom deal”.
Uefa’s threat to boycott all Fifa competitions, including the men’s and women’s World Cups, is widely credited with forcing Infantino into his humiliating climbdown.
Uefa reiterated that threat last week – the day after Infantino had received the “full support” of senior Fifa directors – and for a while, it seemed the Europeans were on their own, as both Concacaf and the AFC did not follow suit with statements.
Infantino, who seeks re-election next March, has denied allegations of wrongdoing, and Fifa has backed its besieged president, calling the backlash “a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine” the organisation.
Other football organisations, including the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and South American governing body Conmebol, share Trump’s position in supporting Infantino.
The presidential election, in which Infantino is seeking a fourth and final four-year term, is to be held in Rabat, Morocco at the Fifa Congress on March 18 next year.
The deadline for a candidate to oppose Infantino is November 18.
– AFP
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