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Former White House Task Force executive director for the 2026 World Cup Andrew Giuliani criticized the "jealous" individuals seeking to oust Gianni Infantino from his position, echoing U.S. President Donald Trump's supportive stance toward the embattled FIFA chief.
Just a week after this summer's World Cup wrapped up with Spain's victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium, Infantino became embroiled in a startling controversy of his own making. The 56-year-old drafted a scheme to let private investors purchase stakes in future World Cup commercial rights.
A fierce backlash ensued, spearheaded by UEFA, which threatened to boycott all upcoming FIFA international competitions unless the proposal was scrapped. Infantino ultimately shelved the plan, yet he continues to face mounting pressure, with Europe's governing body reinforcing its position while demanding a leadership change — a sentiment resonating throughout the soccer world.
Infantino still has allies in his corner, however. He has received backing from the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), as well as U.S. President Trump and now Giuliani.
Giuliani Issues Firm Statement of Support for Infantino
"It's politics," said Giuliani — son of former New York City Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani — to The Athletic regarding Infantino's predicament. "I've seen this before. I've seen it when they've gone after President Trump from a political standpoint. I've seen it when they've gone after other individuals.
"People grow envious of high achievers. And what Gianni Infantino has done for FIFA is elevate the organization to an entirely new level that many probably thought was unattainable.
"You have to keep in mind, this is the very first World Cup that Gianni Infantino actually landed as president, right? He inherited the Russia and Qatar World Cups and handled those well, but this one is truly his. It's his vision."
The 2026 World Cup, held across the United States, Canada and Mexico, was the first edition to feature 48 teams. The expanded format, combined with steep ticket prices, helped FIFA generate $15 billion in revenue this summer — a record for any World Cup.
"What I'll say is that for any soccer confederation or football federation president considering a vote against Gianni Infantino, it would likely be one of the most misguided decisions of your professional career.
"This man just delivered the largest global sporting event in history without a single major incident, generating more than four times the revenue of the previous World Cup, and people are contemplating removing him. If Gianni Infantino isn't re-elected unanimously, then whoever voted against him seriously needs to reconsider their judgment."
Giuliani Reveals Details of Private Conversation with Infantino
The pressure on Infantino continues to mount, even after FIFA released a defiant statement in defense of his leadership. FIFPRO, the global players' union, called for "governance reforms" following what it described as his "abuse of power," while figures such as Victor Montagliani, Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Lise Klaveness are emerging as credible candidates to succeed him at the top of world soccer's governing body.
With his re-election bid set for March 2027, Infantino is in need of every bit of support available to rehabilitate his image and reputation, both of which were already under scrutiny. President Trump has publicly endorsed his ally, declaring it would be a "terrible mistake" to replace the "fantastic" Infantino.
Giuliani disclosed that he spoke with Infantino following the recent controversy and assured the public that the FIFA president has a "good plan over the next few months into March of next year to get re-elected for a third and final term."
That plan would likely need to begin with repairing relations with UEFA's 55 member associations, who could follow through on their boycott threat at the Women's U-20 World Cup in September. Infantino would also need to regain the support of Concacaf (The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football) and the AFC (The Asian Football Confederation).
Giuliani is urging Infantino's critics to consider the president's full tenure before passing judgment. "I would simply say that you need to look at Gianni's complete body of work and recognize that he is always striving to improve his organization — and I think that's what matters.
"Just because you're constantly trying to improve doesn't mean you won't stumble along the way, right? As a human being, it happens — but when I look at the body of work, I see exactly the kind of person I'd want at the helm."