In Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, as world leaders gathered around President Trump to commemorate the Gaza cease-fire agreement, a singular figure emerged who was neither a head of state nor a member of an Arab royal family.
Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, the world’s highest authority in soccer, was conspicuously the sole sports official at Monday’s summit, and indeed the only dignitary present without an explicit political mandate. He was seen taking photographs with President Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, and committed FIFA’s support to rebuilding sports facilities in Gaza. Infantino stated his attendance in Egypt was at President Trump’s personal invitation.
“It’s truly important for FIFA to have a presence here,” Infantino declared in a meticulously produced Instagram video, which highlighted his interactions with various global leaders.
Infantino has consistently aligned himself with President Trump, irrespective of the political topic at hand. Notably, he delivered a speech at a 2020 business dinner hosted by Trump during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In the same year, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, he journeyed to Washington for the signing of the Abraham Accords, which formalized diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab nations. He also secured a prominent position at Trump’s second inauguration this year and has frequently visited the Oval Office.
Since President Trump’s initial term, which saw the U.S. secure co-hosting duties for the 2026 World Cup, Infantino has been a vocal supporter. This year, FIFA even established an office in Trump Tower. Infantino has publicly lauded Trump, going so far as to suggest he receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in Gaza last week. In exchange, Infantino has been granted a level of access and attention typically reserved for Trump’s closest advisors and confidantes.
This exceptionally close association has drawn considerable criticism, particularly from within soccer circles. Concerns have been raised by other officials regarding the appropriateness of Infantino cultivating such a prominent public alliance with a single global leader, especially given FIFA’s stringent regulations against political interference in the sport. Reports indicate that FIFA executives and other soccer figures have privately voiced unease over Infantino’s conduct concerning Trump, who, in turn, has affectionately dubbed Infantino ‘the king of soccer.’
A FIFA spokesperson, however, defended Infantino’s presence, highlighting the attendance of numerous world leaders and asserting that, as FIFA president, he was fully justified in participating as an equal among them.
Adding to FIFA’s challenges is a two-year-old complaint from the Palestinian soccer federation against Israel. The complaint asserts that Israel has violated FIFA rules, specifically those concerning territoriality, by permitting teams from Israeli settlements in the West Bank to compete in the Israeli league. Israel has denied these allegations.
Nick McGeehan, director of the human rights advocacy group FairSquare, a frequent critic of FIFA, stated, “Infantino has discarded any facade of political neutrality that FIFA claims to uphold and is legally bound to maintain. He has overtly positioned FIFA in alignment with Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu.” McGeehan characterized Infantino’s participation in Egypt as ‘profoundly concerning.’
Requests for comment from a FIFA spokesman regarding McGeehan’s statement went unanswered.
Infantino, who arrived at the summit via a private jet regularly supplied by Qatar, has dismissed the criticisms. He maintains that a strong relationship with the leader of a host nation is crucial for the successful organization of the World Cup. Curiously, he has dedicated significantly less time to cultivating relationships with the leaders of Canada and Mexico, who are also co-hosting the upcoming tournament.
Historically, there’s scant precedent for a sports leader to establish such deep ties with world leaders as Infantino has. For instance, Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee, who also manages government relations, was not present at the Egypt summit. Even Infantino’s disgraced predecessor, Sepp Blatter (removed after a 2015 corruption scandal), was never a regular attendee at political gatherings. The same holds true for Thomas Bach, Coventry’s predecessor.
Beyond Trump, Infantino has also fostered close relationships with other national leaders known for blurring the lines between their business and governmental roles. These include President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, accused by human rights organizations of overseeing fraudulent elections; Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, whose nation controversially secured hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup without a competitive bid; and Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup. Notably, Qatar provided Infantino with a lavish villa in Doha prior to the 2022 tournament.
Infantino’s close ties extend to the Trump family, exemplified by his unconventional decision to permit Ivanka Trump, the former president’s daughter, to participate in the draw for this year’s Club World Cup, a new tournament held in the United States. Traditionally, these draws are conducted by legendary retired players.
Furthermore, President Trump has persuaded Infantino to entrust him with two FIFA trophies, one of which is a replica of the coveted World Cup, now proudly exhibited in the Oval Office. A curious detail from earlier this month revealed the designated display area for this trophy at FIFA’s museum in Zurich stood vacant.