Infantino seeks Trump support after FIFA World Cup Investment Plan collapse

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reportedly reached out to the Trump administration for support following the collapse of his controversial plan to sell a stake in the commercial rights of future World Cup tournaments.

According to a report by the New York Post, Infantino has made several attempts to contact United States President Donald Trump since FIFA officially abandoned the proposal last Friday.

The report claims the FIFA president feels increasingly isolated following intense criticism from football stakeholders and negative media coverage surrounding the failed investment initiative.

Infantino was also reportedly scheduled for a private conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to sources familiar with the arrangement.

The controversy began after FIFA unveiled plans to establish a new commercial subsidiary known as FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).

The initiative was expected to create a new revenue stream for FIFA, with the organisation reportedly hoping to raise up to $4.2 billion by selling around 20 per cent stake in the entity to private investors.

The proposal reportedly valued the new subsidiary at approximately $20 billion.

One of the investors linked to the project was Josh Kushner, founder of Thrive Capital and brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to Ivanka Trump.

The investment plan quickly faced strong opposition from major football organisations.

UEFA, European football’s governing body, emerged as the strongest critic, arguing that the World Cup should not be treated as a private investment opportunity.

The European confederation warned that its member associations could boycott FIFA competitions if the proposal continued.

Other football bodies, including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), CONCACAF, and CONMEBOL, also raised concerns over transparency and governance.