FIFA Blasts "Fiction" Report: Infantino Denies Trump Call After World Cup Plan Flop
FIFA Blasts "Fiction" Report: Infantino Denies Trump Call After World Cup Plan Flop
FIFA vehemently denies reports its President Gianni Infantino sought Trump's help after his $4.2B World Cup commercial rights plan collapsed. Dive into the controversy!
FIFA, the global governing body for football, has emphatically dismissed as "pure fiction" a recent report alleging that its President, Gianni Infantino, attempted to contact former U.S. President Donald Trump's administration for support. This denial comes in the wake of the spectacular collapse of Infantino's ambitious plan to sell a significant stake in the World Cup's commercial rights to private investors.
The controversy was ignited by claims published on Monday, August 3rd, which stated Infantino had made repeated, unsuccessful attempts to reach Mr. Trump by phone since his proposal was shelved on Friday, July 31st. These claims further suggested that Infantino felt increasingly isolated amidst a growing chorus of criticism. In a swift and decisive statement, FIFA countered, "The FIFA President has not made any call to the U.S. President, or any members of his administration, in recent days. It is pure fiction."
The backdrop to this latest incident is Infantino's failed initiative to spin off FIFA's commercial assets into a new entity, hoping to secure up to $4.2 billion from private investors for a roughly 20% stake in the venture overseeing major competitions, including the highly lucrative World Cup. This plan faced strong resistance from various stakeholders and was ultimately abandoned.
With the commercial rights plan now off the table, scrutiny has intensified on Infantino's leadership, raising questions about his prospects for securing re-election as FIFA president for another term from 2027 to 2031. The situation also brings into focus the established close relationship between Mr. Trump and Infantino, who have been seen together at prominent football events, including the recent World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Notably, Infantino presented Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in December 2025, an award that garnered significant attention.
Further compounding the narrative of intertwined interests, Thrive Capital, a firm founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, was reportedly expected to play a leading role in the proposed commercial rights venture. It was also alleged that Infantino had scheduled private discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, though FIFA's direct denial focused solely on the alleged contact with Trump's administration.
