FIFA President Gianni Infantino is seeking to leverage his relationship with the White House in a bid to save his job, according to reports. Infantino is reportedly scheduled for a call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday morning, amid growing pressure to resign.
The embattled FIFA leader faced an open revolt after The Times reported his plans to sell a $4.2 billion stake in the World Cup to a private equity firm led by Joshua Kushner. These proposals have since been abandoned due to opposition from UEFA, CONCACAF, and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
A source familiar with the situation told the New York Post that Infantino views soccer as a tool for American soft power, but acknowledged the primary objective is "job protection." Another source described Infantino as feeling "isolated" by the negative reaction to his now-scrapped plan and is actively seeking "allies of note to publicly support him."
This reported appeal for help comes just days after former President Donald Trump publicly denied any knowledge of Infantino's proposal when questioned. Trump's dismissive response of "Who?" marked a departure from his previously supportive stance towards the FIFA president.
Infantino's presidency has been further destabilized as several national football associations have withdrawn their support for his re-election bid. England, Wales, and Finland are among the latest European nations to publicly oppose him, with more expected to follow.
Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, was reportedly close to securing endorsements from nearly all of FIFA's 211 member associations before the controversial stake sale plan emerged. Candidates must be put forward by November 18, with the vote scheduled for FIFA's congress in March. Infantino is seeking a fourth term.
The controversies have weakened Infantino's authority, leading to the resignations of two key allies: senior advisor Carlos Cordeiro, who served as FIFA's liaison to the White House during the World Cup, and chief operating officer Kevin Lamour.
While UEFA and CONCACAF have called for Infantino's resignation, their efforts to unseat him have been partially countered by continued support from nations including Kuwait, Qatar, Sri Lanka, and Lebanon. These blocs represent a significant portion of FIFA's membership, but a majority is required to remove Infantino from office. Support from African nations and expected backing from South America could solidify his position, though AFC members would need to align with European and North American confederations to oust him.
Infantino had previously communicated to FIFA nations that they would each receive $41 million if they supported his plan to sell stakes in FIFA's major competitions.