Trump backs FIFA President Infantino against removal calls

U.S. President Donald Trump said removing Gianni Infantino from his position as head of FIFA would be a "great mistake." In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Infantino and said the most recent World Cup was four times more successful than previous tournaments. Trump added that future tournaments would not achieve the same success and profit if Infantino stepped down as FIFA president. The U.S. president's remarks come amid controversy over FIFA's plan to create a company called FIFA Forward Enterprise, intended to consolidate the organization's commercial activities and bring in private-sector investors. The proposal drew objections within the Union of European Football Associations and reports that an upcoming World Cup could face a boycott. Infantino acknowledged disagreements over the project and stepped back from the implementation plan. Infantino was elected FIFA president in 2016, succeeding Cameroon's Issa Hayatou, and was re-elected in 2019 and 2023.