President Donald Trump has come out supporting embattled FIFA President Gianni Infantino as he clings on to his job.

Many in world football, particularly the Europeans, have denounced Infantino and the plan to sell shares in the World Cup to investors for US$4.2 billion.

They are also perturbed by the controversies that dogged the recently concluded World Cup 2026, which was held in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. 

President Trump wrote: “ FIFA  would be making a terrible mistake if for any reason they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino.

“He is fantastic, having just presided over the most successful World Cup ever presented four times. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again.”

World Cup 2026 was the most viewed World Cup ever, doubling the viewership of World Cup 2022 held in Qatar. Infantino did indeed preside over the most profitable World Cup.

It is, however, felt he is overreaching as he looks to rake in more profits and deviate from the fundamentals of the game.

President Trump agrees with Infantino that the World Cup is a sporting event that can bring in even more viewership and more profits. He has said that the next World Cup should be held in just America alone and that it would be an even greater success than World Cup 2026. 

UEFA, the Asia Football Confederation and CONCACAF, of which many Caribbean countries, including Jamaica, are a part of, are calling for Infantino to go, believing he brought both FIFA and the game of football into disrepute. 

They issued a joint statement which read in part: “ Infantino broke trust through deception and placed himself above the collective. Football’s strength has always been its unity. We call for that unity to be honoured now for leadership that serves football, not seek to command it.”

FIFA responded that there is a concerted effort to undermine both it and its President, Infantino.

FIFA presidential elections take place in March 2027.

Infantino, it is said, has reached out to both President Trump and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to solicit their support.

Argentina, African countries (including Morocco and Egypt), Mexico (which does not share CONCACAF’s opinion on Infantino), and Qatar are backing Infantino and want him re-elected in March 2027