FIFA denies Infantino sought Trump administration help after World Cup rights sell-off plan collapsed

FIFA on Tuesday (August 4, 2026) rejected a New York Post report as "pure fiction" that its president, Gianni Infantino, sought backing from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration after a plan to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights collapsed. The governing body issued the denial in a statement to Reuters.

FIFA had proposed spinning off its commercial assets into a new entity backed by private investors, a plan intended to unlock up to $4.2 billion by selling roughly a 20% stake in an organisation that would oversee competitions including the World Cup. That proposal collapsed after strong resistance from stakeholders. The abandoned scheme has prompted scrutiny of the governing body’s commercial strategy and of Infantino’s position.

The New York Post reported on Monday (August 3) that Infantino had repeatedly tried and failed to reach Mr. Trump by phone since the proposal was abandoned on Friday (July 31) and that he felt isolated amid mounting criticism. The newspaper also said Infantino had scheduled private talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson said in a post on X on Monday (August 3) that there were no plans for Rubio to speak with the 56-year-old FIFA president.

FIFA described the New York Post account as fabricated. "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 organisation said in a statement to Reuters.

Mr. Trump and Infantino have appeared together at major soccer events, including this year’s World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Infantino presented Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in December 2025, making him the first recipient.

The proposed commercial venture had been linked to Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner, who is the brother of Jared Kushner; Thrive had been expected to play a leading role in the initiative. Separately, Infantino has used Instagram to amplify messages of support from member federations including Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Qatar, and Morocco.

With the sell-off plan shelved, attention has shifted to the possible consequences for Infantino; his prospects of securing another term as FIFA president from 2027 to 2031 have come under increased scrutiny.