FIFA President Gianni Infantino is seeking assistance from the Trump administration to remain in his position and has arranged private discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. These talks come as Infantino faces mounting pressure to resign following his attempt to sell the World Cup's commercial assets to Josh Kushner's private equity firm.
Sources familiar with the matter confirmed that Infantino was scheduled to speak with Rubio on a call shortly after 9 a.m. ET. One insider indicated that Infantino's stated goal for the conversation was to discuss how soccer can serve as a tool for American soft power, but acknowledged that the underlying motivation is likely job preservation.
Infantino, 56, has reportedly attempted unsuccessfully to reach President Donald Trump by phone since his plan to divest the sport's commercial rights fell apart last Friday. The New York Post previously reported on Infantino's initiative to spin off broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing, and ticketing rights, an effort that was met with widespread opposition from global soccer federations.
The aborted plan involved the creation of a new subsidiary, FIFA Forward Enterprise, which would have managed these business ventures. Thrive Capital, a private equity firm led by Josh Kushner, brother-in-law to former President Trump, was set to acquire a 20% stake in this subsidiary for just over $4 billion.
The proposal drew significant criticism from football officials worldwide, many of whom stated they learned about the plan through media reports. UEFA, the governing body for European football, reportedly voted 55-0 to boycott the 2030 World Cup, which is slated to be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Such a boycott could lead to key national teams and star players abstaining from the tournament.