FIFA President Gianni Infantino has drawn criticism for his praise of U.S. President Donald Trump during an event at Trump Tower in New York City, just days before the World Cup final. Infantino stated that the tournament would not have been such an "incredible success" without Trump's influence and called it "the greatest human, social and cultural event that mankind has ever witnessed."
The exchange has led to backlash from fans, with many describing Infantino's comments as "sickening," "cringe," and "groveling." Some expressed disappointment with FIFA and Infantino's handling of the tournament, citing controversies such as the treatment of the Iran team and restrictions on a Somali referee.
Earlier in the tournament, Trump had publicly called on Infantino to review a controversial red card issued to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun. Balogun was suspended for a match after being sent off during the U.S. team's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Following White House intervention and pressure from U.S. Soccer, the ban was suspended, allowing Balogun to play in a subsequent game. The U.S. team was later eliminated from the World Cup.
Trump defended the decision to review Balogun's ban, suggesting that Infantino would not receive credit for it regardless of the outcome. Infantino, in response to earlier criticism regarding the Balogun situation, had maintained that the decision to suspend the ban was made by "independent" bodies acting "autonomously."
Infantino and Trump are scheduled to present the World Cup trophy to the winning team at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.