Infantino seeks Trump's backing after failed FIFA commercial deal

FIFA President Gianni Infantino reached out to the Trump administration following the collapse of a controversial plan to sell a $4.2 billion stake in the organization’s commercial rights. Reports indicate the Swiss-Italian executive feels increasingly isolated as resistance from stakeholders forces him to abandon the high-stakes financial initiative.

Editorial·August 3, 2026·reads: 564

Infantino seeks Trump's backing after failed FIFA commercial deal

The failed proposal involved spinning off FIFA’s commercial assets into a new entity, with roughly 20% of the equity earmarked for private investors. The retreat came Friday after intense backlash, casting a long shadow over Infantino’s campaign for another term between 2027 and 2031. He has reportedly made repeated attempts to reach Donald Trump by phone to shore up political support.

Infantino’s ties to the Trump family—most notably through Thrive Capital, the firm founded by Trump’s son-in-law Joshua Kushner—remain a focal point of the controversy. While the FIFA president previously honored Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in December 2025, current diplomatic channels appear less receptive. Despite reports of a scheduled conversation with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, U.S. officials explicitly denied any such meeting, stating there are no plans for the two to speak.