FIFA President Gianni Infantino allegedly leveraged connections within the Trump administration to expedite a work permit for his undocumented housekeeper, according to documents obtained by the Daily Mail. The report alleges that Infantino turned to Carlos Cordeiro, former US Soccer chief and a senior World Cup adviser to Donald Trump, to secure renewed work authorization for Yajarlin del Socorro Fernandez.
Fernandez, a Nicaraguan national, was reportedly employed by FIFA as a housekeeper for Infantino and his family starting in August 2024. Despite being on FIFA's payroll, she allegedly performed no services for the organization and continued working for Infantino's household for months after her legal permission to work in the United States expired. Her work authorization was terminated when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ended the Humanitarian Parole Program for Nicaragua and several other countries in May 2025.
According to the documents, Infantino asked Cordeiro in January 2026 to use his contacts within the state department to help Fernandez obtain a new permit. Cordeiro, who had been appointed to a White House World Cup task force operating out of Homeland Security in May 2025, reportedly facilitated the process. Fernandez was subsequently granted a new work visa and rehired by FIFA on a contract.
FIFA has denied the allegations, stating that the organization "verifies the employment status of each employee and ensures compliance with U.S. immigration and employment requirements." A spokesperson added that matters related to the FIFA President's personal life are private and that costs for domestic staff are met by Infantino personally. The organization also condemned the "publication of personal details of staff" as an invasion of privacy and suggested a "concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine FIFA and its President."
This report emerges amidst a period of scrutiny for Infantino, who faces reelection in 2027. He previously faced controversy over plans to sell a stake in the World Cup to private equity investors, a move that was later abandoned after opposition from several confederations, including UEFA. Cordeiro also reportedly resigned from FIFA over Infantino's commercial dealings. Additionally, Infantino was recently alleged to have intervened with President Trump to suspend a red card for U.S. player Folarin Balogun, a claim FIFA stated was handled by independent bodies.