President Donald Trump defended FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Truth Social, warning that replacing him would be a 'terrible mistake' and claiming FIFA 'would never be as successful or profitable' without him. Trump praised Infantino for overseeing the 'most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented.'

In contrast, UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC issued an open letter condemning Infantino's failed World Cup commercial proposal as a 'fundamental breach of trust' with sporting institutions. The letter stated that when trust is broken through deception, 'that duty has been abandoned.'

The controversy stems from Infantino's proposal to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) and sell 20% to private investors. He apologized after the plan failed, but federations demanded an independent review, calling the compressed timeline and lack of consultation 'a design intended to limit scrutiny.'

U.S. Soccer, Canada Soccer, and other regional confederations joined the call for governance reforms, emphasizing that football 'belongs to the players, the fans, the clubs, and the member associations.' Infantino, serving since 2016, is seeking re-election through 2031.