Infantino sought Trump’s help after rights deal collapsed, but calls went unanswered
Infantino sought U.S. political backing after a failed plan to sell World Cup commercial rights, but senior U.S. officials deny any scheduled meetings with him.
Gianni Infantino has reportedly sought help from the U.S. administration to shore up his position at FIFA after a controversial commercial deal collapsed — but former President Donald Trump has not answered repeated calls, according to multiple accounts circulating in the media.
Insiders say Infantino arranged a private meeting request with Secretary of State Marco Rubio as pressure mounted on him to resign over the failed plan to sell World Cup commercial rights to a private fund. "He wanted to contact the secretary and talk about how football can serve as a form of 'soft power' for America," one source told reporters.
Other close sources stress the motive was personal survival rather than policy. "But everyone understands that this is all about preserving his position. Nothing else matters right now," said another insider, who added that the Swiss–Italian football chief felt "isolated" amid mounting negative coverage and was seeking influential allies willing to publicly support him.
Denial from the U.S. State Department
Assistant Secretary of State Dylan Johnson denied the account, saying "there are no plans for Secretary of State Marco Rubio to meet with Infantino." Meanwhile, those close to Infantino say the 56‑year‑old president of FIFA repeatedly tried to reach the 80‑year‑old former U.S. president by phone from Friday, after the commercial-rights plan unraveled.
The initiative aimed to carve out broadcast, sponsorship, licensing and ticketing rights for a new commercial vehicle, but the proposal was blocked after football associations worldwide objected. The collapse of the scheme triggered an open revolt inside the Zurich‑based non‑profit, with senior officials reportedly pushing to remove Infantino in an effort labeled internally as "Project: Kill the Monster." Kevin Lamour, FIFA's director of operations, told the Associated Press he felt "betrayed" by Infantino's moves and said he had not been aware of the secret negotiations.
Under the proposal a new subsidiary, "FIFA Forward Enterprise," would manage commercial operations, with Trive Capital — an investment fund led by Josh Kushner, the younger brother of Jared Kushner — taking a 20 percent stake for just over $4 billion. The plan, first published by London-based outlets, provoked anger among football leaders who say they learned of it from the press rather than from FIFA itself.
Photo: Football Tweet (X)
