Trump pushes Infantino for UN’s top job after World Cup controversy

Donald Trump is seeking to propel FIFA president Gianni Infantino into one of the world’s most powerful diplomatic posts, urging him to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations, according to US media reports.

With current UN chief Antonio Guterres due to step down in December, Trump believes Infantino “is respected by everyone all over the world, and he knows he has a special ability to bring people together”, a White House source told the New York Post.

The move would represent an extraordinary crossover from football politics into global diplomacy, and would require Infantino to secure backing first from the UN Security Council and then the General Assembly.

Infantino, a 56-year-old Swiss-Italian lawyer who currently heads world football’s governing body, has already said he intends to run for a third term as FIFA president and has not commented publicly on Trump’s apparent proposal.

‘Only President Trump has such a genius idea’

Paolo Zampolli, the US president’s special envoy for global partnerships, told the Washington Post that the initiative came directly from Trump.

He said “الرييس ترامب وحده هو من يملك فكرة عبقرية كهذه” – “only President Trump has such a genius idea” – in reference to suggesting Infantino to lead the United Nations.

Zampolli added that Infantino “سيقوم بعمل رايع” – “will do a great job” – and agreed that the FIFA chief is “محبوب من الجميع” – “loved by everyone”, arguing that he would bring the same energy he has shown in football administration to the global stage.

He also noted what he described as “some similarity” between running FIFA and serving as UN secretary-general, portraying both roles as requiring a talent for balancing competing interests and uniting diverse constituencies.

Powerful rivals – and a major pay cut

Infantino would face heavyweight competition if he chose to pursue the UN role. Potential rivals reportedly include former Chilean president and ex-UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, as well as Rafael Grossi of Argentina, the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The switch from Zurich to New York would also mean a steep financial sacrifice. Infantino’s annual FIFA salary is estimated at around $6m (£4.6m), compared with about $418,000 (£324,000) for the UN secretary-general.

Ties forged during North American World Cup

Trump’s relationship with Infantino has strengthened over the staging of the expanded World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, which concluded on Sunday.

The US president joined Infantino on the pitch for the post-final ceremony, helping to present gold medals and the trophy to Spain’s victorious players and even stepping onto the winners’ podium alongside them.

But Infantino’s stewardship of the tournament has been highly contentious. He was heavily criticised before a ball was kicked over the decision to expand the World Cup to 48 teams, soaring ticket prices and a range of other organisational and commercial issues.

Intervention over Balogun red card sparks uproar

The tournament’s integrity came under further scrutiny when Trump personally pressured Infantino to overturn a red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun, which would have ruled the forward out of a key knockout match against Belgium.

FIFA’s decision to suspend Balogun’s ban and allow him to play ran counter to all previous precedent, triggering widespread anger and further eroding trust in the organisation’s disciplinary process.

Ultimately, Belgium’s “Red Devils” beat the US 4-1 regardless, and several players mocked Trump’s trademark gestures in their post-match celebrations, underlining the political tensions surrounding the incident.

As speculation mounts over the UN succession and FIFA’s future leadership, Infantino now finds himself at the centre of a debate that stretches far beyond football – and into the heart of global governance.