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For the first time since the controversy surrounding FIFA and president Gianni Infantino erupted, the United States Soccer Federation has broken its silence.
Two weeks ago, FIFA publicly unveiled its proposal to sell shares of the World Cup to investors through a subsidiary company instantly valued at $20 billion. Infantino's plan—first exposed through media leaks and introduced without consulting member associations—was immediately met with fierce backlash from several confederations and prominent figures in the soccer world, all arguing that the sport's most prestigious tournament should not be "for sale."
Although a handful of nations have voiced strong support for Infantino, the president was swiftly forced to shelve the initiative. UEFA, Concacaf and AFC have continued to pile on pressure, with Europe's governing body even threatening to boycott future competitions, before the dispute took a more personal turn.
With virtually everyone taking a side, U.S. Soccer has made its position clear, and it doesn't quite align with that of the nation's president, Donald Trump.
U.S. Soccer Issues Firm Statement
Just hours after Concacaf released an open letter to FIFA alongside UEFA and AFC, U.S. Soccer published a statement, siding with its confederation and several key members.
"U.S. Soccer, Canada Soccer, CFU (Caribbean Football Union) and UNCAF (Central American Football Union) stand united, together with our peers around the world, in calling for meaningful reform that strengthens FIFA's governance, transparency and accountability," the federation posted to X on Monday morning.
Unlike its European counterparts, however, the U.S. has stopped short of threatening to boycott FIFA competitions, and instead appears most focused on pushing for a structural overhaul at the governing body's highest levels. This is an emphasis Concacaf has similarly made, particularly drawing attention to "the lack of due process surrounding [Infantino's initial] proposal, the artificially short deadline imposed, and the absence of any review or approval by the relevant FIFA governance bodies."
White House Takes Opposite Stance
Amid the dwindling support for Infantino, the White House has reportedly pledged its loyalty. Trump and Infantino have grown close over several years, a relationship that itself drew backlash and controversy throughout the summer during the 2026 World Cup across North America.
"Gianni helped us enormously to deliver the best World Cup ever. The president is very fond of him. I am certain the president will do everything in his power to support him," an unnamed senior administration official said last week.
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"I don't believe the president will change his view on him, because he is a loyal person. Gianni truly delivered the World Cup for the United States. We value that greatly."
The president's backing came just days after he claimed to have had no prior knowledge of Infantino's plan to sell World Cup shares. It was a surprising response given not only the pair's well-known closeness, but also that Thrive Eternal—a venture capital firm founded and managed by Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump's son-in-law—was set to "lead the proposed investor group." It was also reported at the time that the Trump administration had been consulted about the project.
Regardless, Trump remains determined to see the World Cup return to the U.S. as early as 2038, which may be a driving factor behind his continued backing of FIFA and Infantino.