President Donald Trump has defended FIFA president Gianni Infantino amid criticism over his plan to sell an interest in the World Cup. Trump's comments came in a message posted to Truth Social on Monday night, as reported by ESPN News Services.
Infantino's proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) has been met with criticism from UEFA, Concacaf, and the AFC. The confederations declared that Infantino's failed commercial proposal for the World Cup was a "fundamental breach of trust" with the institutions the sport's global governing body serves.
Infantino has apologised for his proposal, which included the idea to sell off around 20% to private investors. However, the apology has not been enough to quell the backlash, with U.S. Soccer issuing an additional statement supporting Concacaf.
Trump stated that FIFA would "never be as successful or profitable" without Infantino, who has served as president since his initial election on February 26, 2016. His current term runs through 2027, and he has announced his bid for reelection to extend his tenure to 2031.