FIFA has maintained that Gianni Infantino did not contact U.S. President Donald Trump to help secure his position, despite his conduct being condemned in an email circulated to staff members.
Infantino, the FIFA President, is under intense pressure following his announcement of a plan to sell ownership shares in the World Cup to private investors. The initiative has since been abandoned after UEFA, Concacaf, and other member associations strongly opposed the proposal.
UEFA is now threatening legal proceedings, and FIFA executives are reportedly advocating for Infantino to resign, which sparked reports that he approached Trump for support. Infantino's behavior has triggered an email to FIFA personnel, though the governing body has refuted the Trump allegations - something the Trump administration denied.
The Times reported that Infantino had reached out to Trump in a last-ditch effort to preserve his position, capitalizing on the strong relationship they had developed during the World Cup. Nevertheless, the official FIFA Media X account labeled the reports "fiction" in its response.
"The FIFA President has not made any call to the U.S President, or any members of his administration, in recent days. It is pure fiction," FIFA wrote.
Infantino is rapidly losing backing, and the upcoming FIFA presidential election is set for March 18, 2027, as per The Mirror US. His scheme to establish a $20 billion entity to operate the World Cup with private investors blindsided executives, as Infantino maintained the proposal in strict confidence.
Even members of Infantino's team were kept in the dark about the plans, and amid the media firestorm surrounding FIFA, an email was dispatched to staff. In the memo obtained by Sky News, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom described the scrapped World Cup sale plan as a "sad and reproachable series of events."
Grafstrom also characterized the situation as "difficult to comprehend and accept." While the email didn't mention Infantino by name, it did welcome the failure of the proposal to sell World Cup stakes, which had sparked fury throughout the soccer world.
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"A sad and reproachable series of events - which were thankfully concluded with the FFE project permanently abandoned - for as much as we feel dismayed by them, should not overshadow this reality," he wrote.
"We have all been thrown into the middle of a turmoil, which is difficult to comprehend and accept, but, as Secretary General, I urge you to remain focused on what has always united us: serving football and serving our 211 Member Associations, hand in hand with all relevant stakeholders and in full compliance with the FIFA Statutes and FIFA Regulations.
"I assure you that you as members of the administration, you will be defended and safeguarded from the political context we currently experience. You do not need to worry.
"Individuals, unstable moments and unfortunate episodes come and go. The institution, its mission and its responsibility towards world football continue, and that is why we should always keep our professionalism, sense of perspective and composure."
Grafstrom wrapped up his address by expressing gratitude to staff for their "commitment, resilience and dedication to football."
He went on to say, "I also want you to know that my door remains open for you, and I will continue to support our teams, our work and our mission every hour of every day for as long as my work is valued by those we serve.
"The last week has been both extraordinary and challenging for all the members of FIFA staff in our offices around the world."
Source: Alloutsoccer.com
