Trump warns removing Gianni Infantino would be 'terrible mistake'

US President Donald Trump wrote on social media on 11 August 2026 that it would be a "terrible mistake" to remove Fifa president Gianni Infantino, after Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation issued an open letter over Infantino's aborted proposal.

Trump had been awarded the Fifa Peace Prize by Infantino in 2025. The confederations said Infantino broke trust "through deception" with his aborted Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal. FFE would have meant a new company being created to manage commercial and ticketing rights of all Fifa competitions, including World Cups, with 21% sold off to a private investment company. The open letter from those bodies prompted public scrutiny of Infantino's plan.

Trump wrote on social media: "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, by four times, ever presented. If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again."

The three confederations named in the letter were Uefa, Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation. Their statement accused Infantino of breaking trust "through deception" in relation to the FFE proposal. The proposal has been described in the letter as having been aborted.

The 2026 World Cup was co-hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico this summer. Spain were crowned champions after beating Argentina in the final. Trump referenced that tournament in his social media post when defending Infantino.

The dispute centres on the aborted FFE plan and the confederations' open letter; Trump’s public backing contrasts with those governing bodies' criticisms and keeps the debate over Infantino’s future in the spotlight.