After scenes at the World Cup draw
Fuss about being close to Trump: Fifa reacts to criticism of Infantino
December 7, 2025 – 1:35 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
The appearance of the head of the world football association with the controversial US president caused displeasure – not for the first time. FIFA has now responded to allegations and criticism with a statement.
After the World Cup draw in Washington, FIFA President Gianni Infantino came under international criticism. His appearance with US President Donald Trump particularly caused a stir. Not only did Infantino present the controversial politician with a “peace prize” designed especially for him, he also repeatedly joked with the 79-year-old throughout the event, at one point even taking a selfie with Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
“Submissive”, “sycophancy”: these were some of the reactions from the international press to Infantino’s behavior towards Trump. The Swiss’s closeness to the US head of government has already been sharply criticized in the past.
At the request of “Bild”, FIFA issued a statement on the public reaction. Accordingly, in order to host a World Cup, it is “absolutely essential to establish close and constructive cooperation with the government authorities of the host countries.”
Since the 2026 World Cup was awarded to the so-called “United Bid”, the joint application from Canada, Mexico and the USA, Infantino has maintained a good relationship with Trump and with the leadership of the co-hosts Canada and Mexico. “This has led to a productive collaboration, resulting in the creation of the White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup.”
The association also refers to its own rules. According to the Fifa statutes, the president should “strive to maintain and develop good relationships between and among Fifa, the confederations, the member associations, political bodies and international organizations.”
The FIFA President must also maintain good contacts with the heads of state and government of the host countries “in order to ensure a successful event for everyone involved.”
However, although Infantino was often seen in Trump’s environment, the 55-year-old did not seek proximity to Sheinbaum or Carney with such frequency. Infantino’s equally controversial predecessor, Sepp Blatter, was also not seen as often in the company of controversial political officials.