FIFA’s Infantino sought Trump backing after World Cup selloff plan: Report

What the report says

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reportedly sought political backing from the Trump administration after his plan to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights was abandoned, according to the New York Post as cited by Al Jazeera. The report says Infantino tried unsuccessfully to reach US President Donald Trump by phone in the days after the proposal collapsed, and that he felt isolated amid heavy negative coverage.

The plan had aimed to bring in private investors through a new entity overseeing FIFA’s competitions, including the World Cup. Al Jazeera reported that the idea was expected to raise as much as $4.2 billion by selling about a 20% stake, but it ran into strong resistance from stakeholders and was dropped on Friday. FIFA did not immediately comment.

The episode matters because it adds scrutiny to Infantino’s leadership and to his prospects as he considers another run for the FIFA presidency for the 2027-2031 term. It also underscores his close relationship with Trump, who appeared with Infantino at major soccer events and received FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize in December 2025. The report further noted that the proposed deal had been linked to Thrive Capital, founded by Trump’s son-in-law Joshua Kushner. Separately, the US State Department said there were no plans for a call between Infantino and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.