As European soccer bosses turn against Gianni Infantino, Trump backs him as UN secretary-general: Report | Today’s news
As FIFA president Gianni Infantino faces pressure from major soccer bosses in Europe, US President Donald Trump has emerged as his primary savior, with reports claiming Trump wants Infantino as the next UN secretary-general, the New York Post reported.
The 55-year-old FIFA chief and the US president have a close relationship that developed when he met Trump several times ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which the US co-hosted with Mexico and Canada. The Swiss-born world soccer administrator has often tried to stay in Trump’s good books, first by awarding him the FIFA Peace Prize after he was denied his much-coveted Nobel Prize, and then during the World Cup, Trump himself revealed how he contacted Infantino to complain about the red card given to the USMNT’s Florian Balogun, which was then overturned.
The US president, on the other hand, believes that Infantino “is respected by everyone around the world and recognizes that he has a special ability to bring people together,” a source told the NY Post.
Read also | 2026 FIFA World Cup: IOC calls for investigation into Infantino
The current UN Secretary-General, António Guterres of Portugal, will step down at the end of December and his replacement will be elected this year.
Infantino slammed La Liga’s predecessor, UEFA bosses
Infantino has been criticized by former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter and La Liga president Javier Tebas. Tebas accused Infantino of “ruining the football industry” by prioritizing the World Cup over national competitions. Tebas also claimed that Infantino’s “time is up”.
Blatter, on the other hand, called on “fans, players and national associations to reclaim football and bring it back to its roots under new management,” as reported by The Guardian.
Tebas told Italy’s La Gazzetta dello Sport that Infantino’s plans to expand the World Cup to 64 teams from 48 “make no sense” this time around.
“The football industry is not just the World Cup. Not everything can revolve around the World Cup. It is the national competitions that support the sport,” Tebas said, adding: “They (FIFA) are destroying the football industry, which generates tens of thousands of jobs, because of an event that lasts 40 days and involves a minority of players. We need less national teams and more protection of national football because they realize they are irresponsible at all levels.”
He also said that while he wants Infantino to resign, he enjoys the support of the system and “the federations. There is no opposition candidate, no one wants to stand only to lose. It is a system rotten at its core.”
Read also | Trump says he didn’t tell FIFA chief Infantino what to do amid row with Balogun
Regarding the overturning of the red card, Tebas said: “The suspension of the ban for the American player was absolutely serious. They were lucky that Belgium eliminated the USA because there could have been a case that could have cost Infantina his job. Since Belgium won, they were able to bury the matter. But these things are just the tip of the iceberg.”
Although UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin has yet to speak publicly against Infantino, he refused to attend the World Cup final after a series of disagreements with FIFA over the operation of matches, referee logistics, disciplinary proceedings and other issues, Reuters reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Balogun’s red card reversal also played a role in Ceferin’s decision, the report revealed.
