Trump warns FIFA against ousting Infantino

President Donald Trump publicly defended embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Monday, August 10, warning the global soccer governing body that replacing him would be a "terrible mistake" with severe financial consequences. The intervention comes as Infantino faces a major revolt from powerful soccer confederations over a failed commercial scheme and other allegations, threatening his leadership ahead of a presidential election scheduled for March 2027.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump praised Infantino, stating he had "just presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented." The president added, "If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!" The comment appears to reference the record-breaking viewership and revenue of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which was hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Trump's support contrasts sharply with the position of the U.S. Soccer Federation, which, along with Canada Soccer and other regional bodies, has criticized Infantino. The FIFA president's troubles stem primarily from a proposal to create a commercial entity called FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have sold...