FIFA President Gianni Infantino has pushed back against media claims that he is turning to U.S. President Donald Trump for political backing to save his job, following reports from outlets like the New York Post that he sought intervention amid a severe leadership crisis at FIFA.
Recall that Infantino faced massive internal revolt after proposing a multi-billion-dollar scheme to sell a stake in World Cup commercial rights to private investors, which he was ultimately forced to scrap due to fierce resistance from UEFA and other major football confederations.
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While the New York Post reported that Infantino attempted to contact Trump and schedule talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for job protection, FIFA, however, dismissed claims of any planned meetings or outreach as completely untrue.
However, US Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson denied that talks had been scheduled between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday.
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“There are no plans for @SecRubio to speak with Infantino and there is no call this morning,” said Johnson in a statement on US social media company X.
Despite the denials, Infantino remains under intense pressure from European federations ahead of the upcoming FIFA Congress, even as his supporters maintain that his administrative focus remains entirely on global soccer development.
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Source: Complete Sports
