FIFA President Gianni Infantino 'Begging' Donald Trump To Save His Job: Report
FIFA President Gianni Infantino 'Begging' Donald Trump To Save His Job: Report Curated By Last Updated: August 03, 2026, 19:05 IST Gianni Infantino is reportedly
FIFA President Gianni Infantino 'Begging' Donald Trump To Save His Job: Report Curated By Last Updated: August 03, 2026, 19:05 IST Gianni Infantino is reportedly trying to 'beg' US President Donald Trump to 'save his job' but has not been able to reach the FIFA Peace Prize winner yet. Infantino (R) with Donald Trump (L) (AP) FIFA president Gianni Infantino is set to hold private talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday as he comes under mounting pressure following the collapse of his controversial proposal to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial business to private investors, according to a report by the New York Post. The publication, citing sources familiar with the matter, claimed Infantino requested the conversation with Rubio to discuss how football could serve as a form of American ‘soft power’, though not many are buying that.
“He wanted to get online with the secretary and talk about how soccer can be a form of soft power for America. But we all know that it is about job protection. It is not about anything else at this point," a quoted source in the report said. The 56-year-old FIFA chief is said to be feeling increasingly isolated following the backlash over the failed proposal and is now looking for influential allies to publicly support him. The report also alleged that Infantino has repeatedly tried to contact US President Donald Trump since the plan collapsed, in what it termed as ‘begging’ to save his job, but has been unable to reach him. This comes after both the English and Welsh Football Associations (FA) reversed their support for Infantino’s re-election.
What is the controversy about? The controversy centres on Infantino’s proposal to create a new commercial subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have managed the governing body’s broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing and ticketing rights. According to reports, Josh Kushner — younger brother of Jared Kushner, who is Trump’s son-in-law and former senior adviser — via his company Thrive Capital was set to acquire a 20% stake in the venture for just over $4 billion before the proposal was abandoned amid widespread opposition. The plan has faced strong opposition from football’s governing bodies as well. UEFA condemned the proposal, saying it crossed “a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross" and insisting that “the soul and governance of football are not assets to trade." The backlash ultimately forced FIFA to abandon the proposal, leaving Infantino facing one of the biggest leadership challenges of his presidency.
The BriefWire