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FIFA has disputed a New York Post account alleging that President Gianni Infantino is attempting to enlist assistance from the Trump administration to preserve his position. A FIFA representative confirmed to OutKick that no conversation between Infantino and Secretary of State Marco Rubio has been arranged, contradicting the Post’s Monday reporting on the matter.
The Post’s original claim suggested Infantino and Rubio were scheduled to discuss soccer’s potential role as American soft power. Sources quoted in the reporting, however, characterized the outreach as an effort by Infantino to secure political backing during a period of intense scrutiny over his governance decisions and job security.
Infantino’s troubles stem from a controversial proposal to establish FIFA Forward Enterprise, a structure that would have transferred control of FIFA’s broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing and ticketing operations to private investors. Thrive Capital, the private equity firm owned by Josh Kushner—Jared Kushner’s brother—would have acquired a 20 percent stake valued at slightly more than $4 billion under the plan.
The proposal sparked immediate backlash from FIFA officials and national federations who claimed they learned of the deal through media reports rather than through official channels. UEFA’s 55 European member associations pledged to boycott FIFA competitions while the initiative remained active, and other continental confederations voiced opposition as well.
Infantino withdrew the proposal Friday, but the reversal has not quelled the uprising against his leadership. Wales became the first national federation to formally withdraw support for his re-election bid, citing governance and communication failures, while England reportedly followed suit and UEFA declared he has lost the confidence of world soccer.
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