US President Donald Trump has warned FIFA that replacing Gianni Infantino would be a “terrible mistake”, throwing his support behind the embattled world football governing body president.

Gianni Infantino has faced growing criticism after attempting to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, before abandoning the plan following widespread opposition.

The FIFA president came under renewed pressure after UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC joined forces in an open letter accusing him of damaging trust through what they described as deceptive conduct.

Despite the criticism, Trump publicly backed Infantino, who presented the US president with a FIFA Peace Prize during last year’s World Cup draw ceremony.

“FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump described Infantino as “fantastic” and praised his leadership of what he called the most successful World Cup ever staged.

“If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!” Trump added after attending the World Cup final alongside Infantino last month.

Trump’s comments put him at odds with US Soccer, which has joined the growing number of voices critical of the FIFA president.

Infantino had proposed bringing private investment into several FIFA competitions, including the World Cup, but eventually withdrew the plan following intense criticism from football’s governing bodies.

FIFA subsequently responded by accusing its critics of attempting to undermine the organisation and its president.

However, the joint statement from UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC delivered an even stronger response.

“Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding — or demanding — power to be held,” the organisations said.

“When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned.”

UEFA threatens World Cup boycott

CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani has emerged as a potential challenger to Infantino, who is seeking a fourth and final term as FIFA president at the FIFA Congress in March 2027.

Candidates must formally declare their intention to run by November 18.

Infantino had appeared almost certain to face no serious opposition after overseeing a successful 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada. However, his private investment plans have significantly changed the political landscape within world football.

The 56-year-old Swiss has led FIFA for a decade and has received support from the Confederation of African Football (CAF), while South America’s CONMEBOL remains largely supportive.

FIFA’s presidential election is decided by individual member associations rather than the confederations themselves.

Infantino has also secured backing from Mexico, along with AFC members Kuwait and Qatar, the host nation of the 2022 World Cup.

‘Shabby, backroom deal’

A major turning point came when UEFA threatened to boycott future World Cups if Infantino’s private investment proposal went ahead.

European football’s governing body described the plan as a “shabby, opaque, backroom deal” and again criticised Infantino on Monday, accusing him of a “failure of judgment”.

Following the controversy, Infantino received “full support” from senior FIFA directors during an emergency meeting in Morocco last week.

However, UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC dismissed the gesture, arguing that the meeting did little to address their concerns.

They said the gathering, attended by a select group of FIFA Management Committee members, represented “a continuation of the very pattern of conduct that brought us to this moment”.

“It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him,” the three confederations said.

Infantino had previously enjoyed widespread praise after overseeing the biggest World Cup in history, featuring 48 teams for the first time. However, his investment proposal has created a major divide within the sport.

“The growth over the past decade has been real. But that progress was never the work of one individual,” the statement added.

“It was the product of FIFA, the Confederations, the Member Associations, and the thousands of people who dedicate their lives to the game.”

The organisations also stressed that the expanded tournaments and other developments under Infantino were collective achievements agreed upon and delivered by football’s wider governing structure.

They accused the current FIFA leadership of creating “silence where there should be accountability” and “distance where there should be openness”.

“That is why we have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve,” they said.

“Football’s strength has always been its unity.”