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The close friendship between President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino could become a working relationship.
Trump reportedly wants Infantino to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations, according to the New York Post.
Trump believes Infantino is “respected by everyone around the world,” and after the first-ever FIFA World Cup in three different countries, the 45th and 47th presidents of the United States believe the world “recognizes that he has a special ability to bring people together,” a source told The Post.
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President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino hold the FIFA World Cup winner’s trophy before handing it over to Spain captain Rodri at the award ceremony following the FIFA World Cup 2026 final between Spain and Argentina at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on July 19, 2026. (Getty Images)
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Pakinomist Digital on this matter.
Infantino, the Swiss-born head of soccer’s biggest governing body, grew close to Trump while organizing the World Cup. Trump was included in many different aspects, including Infantino awarding him FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize back in December.
Trump was also seen presenting the Club World Cup trophy last year at MetLife Stadium, and he was on hand to present Spain’s Rodrì with the World Cup trophy on Sunday afternoon at the same venue after Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 to win the tournament.
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During the game, Trump sat between first lady Melania Trump and Infantino, while the World Cup trophy was seen in his suite before he handed it out on the pitch.
The next Secretary-General of the United Nations will be elected later this year, and that person will begin their position on January 1, 2027. Portugal’s António Guterres will step down in December.
Whether Infantino will be considered for the role remains to be seen. He must first be approved by all 15 members of the Security Council before receiving confirmation from the General Assembly. The Security Council’s five permanent members each have veto power.
Infantino must also want the post himself, and it is unclear if that is the case here. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Pakinomist Digital.
US President Donald Trump and FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) President Gianni Infantino speak in the Oval Office of the White House after signing an executive order for a task force related to the FIFA World Cup in Washington, DC, March 7, 2025 (Jim WATSON/AFP)
If Infantino wants to run for secretary general, The Post learned, Trump believes he would run against seven “lame” candidates, including Chile’s former socialist president Michelle Bachelet.
Argentina’s Rafael Grossi could also be a candidate for the role, although the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency may face opposition from Britain over the Falkland Islands – a hotly contested situation between the two countries that found its way into the World Cup.
Paolo Zampolli, who serves as Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships, told The Post Infantino “would do a great job,” saying he is “loved by everybody.”
Zampolli has reportedly dealt with FIFA in the past, when the Italian-American businessman and diplomat hit out at Infantino for replacing Iran with Italy for the World Cup in an attempt to repair relations between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Zampolli was also former ambassador to the United Nations for Dominica.
“In the UN, you have to deal with 193 member states. In FIFA, there are over 200 members [and] Gianni’s amazing record shows he knows how to manage,” he told The Post.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney attend the award ceremony after the FIFA World Cup 2026 final match between Spain and Argentina at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ on July 19, 2026. Spain defeated Ferran 106 minutes into extra time from Torre. (Getty Images)
However, Infantino came under fire from some soccer organizations around the world after the reversal of Folarin Balogun’s red card for Team USA in the World Cup ahead of their round of 16 match against Belgium. Trump confirmed that he called Infantino for a review of the controversial red card, which would have caused Balogun, the team’s leading scorer at the time, to miss the win-or-go-home game.
Infantino faces an election of his own next year, as March 2027 will be when the FIFA Congress decides whether he will run for a fourth term.
Meanwhile, Trump has not wavered from his views on the UN since returning to office, cutting US contributions to the organization while withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO and the UN Human Rights Council.
President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino hold the FIFA World Cup Winner’s Trophy before presenting it to Spain captain Rodri at the awards ceremony following the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026 in East Rutherford, NJ (Getty Images)
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If Infantino does not want the UN post and he is re-elected by the FIFA Congress to remain president, he will organize another tournament in 2027. The FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be held in Brazil, will take place before an even bigger FIFA World Cup in 2030.
To honor the tournament’s 100th anniversary, matches will begin in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, before the majority of them are played in Spain, Morocco and Portugal. Like this year’s World Cup, history will be made as a tournament has never been played in six different countries and three different continents.
