Trump backs FIFA President Gianni Infantino amid controversy
President Donald Trump weighed in on the controversy surrounding FIFA president Gianni Infantino, saying replacing him would be a “terrible mistake.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has confirmed he still intends to run for re-election in March.
Infantino has been under increasing pressure since the collapse of his controversial plan to sell a portion of FIFA’s operations to private investors.
Three confederations – Concacaf, UEFA and the AFC – have expressed doubts over Infantino’s leadership, leading to real questions over whether he can survive.
However, some nations in those three confederations have expressed their support for Infantino.
Infantino had previously confirmed he will stand for a fourth term, and those plans haven’t changed despite the increasing pressure.
“The FIFA president announced in April that he will stand for re-election in 2027. Of course, nothing has changed. Mr Infantino will be standing for re-election,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
The 77th FIFA Congress will take place in Rabat, Morocco, on March 18, 2027. The presidential election will be held at that congress as Infantino seeks a fourth and final term.
As recently as July, Infantino’s re-election seemed a mere formality. The Guardian reported before the World Cup final that he had received the support of more than 200 of the 211 member associations.
But the likelihood of Infantino facing a contested election now appears to be growing.
Among the potential candidates to challenge Infantino are Concacaf president Victor Montagliani and Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa.
Candidates for FIFA president must declare their intent to run by Nov. 18.