By Daily Review Online
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is reportedly seeking support from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump as pressure mounts over his leadership following the collapse of a controversial plan to sell a stake in FIFA’s commercial operations to a private equity firm.
According to a report by the New York Post, Infantino is scheduled to hold private talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday, with sources saying the FIFA president hopes to rally influential allies as calls for his resignation intensify.
Insiders familiar with the planned discussion said Infantino is expected to present football as a tool of American soft power. However, one source claimed the real objective is to secure political backing amid growing opposition within world football.
Another source described the 56-year-old FIFA chief as feeling increasingly isolated after widespread criticism of his leadership, adding that he is seeking prominent figures willing to publicly support him.
The reported outreach comes days after FIFA abandoned plans to spin off its broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing and ticketing businesses into a new commercial entity. The proposal reportedly involved selling a 20 percent stake to Thrive Capital, the private equity firm led by Josh Kushner, for more than $4 billion.
The proposal triggered strong opposition from football associations around the world, many of which reportedly learned of the negotiations through media reports rather than official FIFA channels.
The fallout has intensified internal tensions within FIFA, with reports suggesting some senior officials are pushing for Infantino’s removal. FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour also publicly criticised the process, saying he felt “deceived” because he had not been informed of the negotiations.
Sources further claimed that Infantino has unsuccessfully attempted to contact President Trump since the commercial deal collapsed.
The controversy has also spilled into international football politics. UEFA, European football’s governing body, reportedly voted unanimously to boycott future FIFA competitions, including the 2030 FIFA World Cup, in protest over the handling of the proposed commercial restructuring.
Neither FIFA nor the U.S. State Department had publicly commented on the reported meeting at the time of publication.