Trump-Infantino Relationship Raises Eyebrows
The upcoming World Cup draw in Washington has sparked controversy as critics argue that Donald Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino have grown “too close,” threatening FIFA’s claim of political neutrality
Taking place just a mile from the White House, Friday's World Cup draw will have a distinctly political atmosphere.
The spectacular ceremony will take place at the Kennedy Center, Washington's renowned arts venue, now chaired by US President Donald Trump, who has made major changes to its board this year.
Along with stars from football, US sports, and show business, Trump will be in attendance, along with two other co-hosts: Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
However, it appears the entire planning has been done with the US President in mind.
The 1970s group Village People has been booked to perform at the YMCA, a song Trump loves and regularly plays at his campaign rallies. And, in a break from tradition, a new FIFA Peace Prize will be awarded at the draw ceremony, and Trump is expected to receive it.
Such gestures would further strengthen the alliance between the US president and FIFA's counterpart, Gianni Infantino, who announced the award last month after claiming that Trump deserved to win the Nobel Peace Prize for his contribution to the Israel-Gaza ceasefire and effusively praising his policies.
For critics, such moves threaten FIFA's commitment to political neutrality, enshrined in its statutes, and risk turning the draw – and the tournament itself – into a propaganda tool.
They believe Infantino and Trump are actually too close, and that it sends the message that world football's governing body is aligning with the Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement and supporting an administration that many consider divisive. They ask whether it's wise for FIFA to be so closely associated with a man who this week made derogatory comments about Somali immigrants, calling them "trash"?
When asked about the new award, amid reports that the FIFA Council was not consulted, a senior official from the governing body told Sport: "Why can't it be bigger than the Nobel Peace Prize? Football has enormous support worldwide, so it's only right that it recognizes extraordinary efforts to bring peace every year."
He pointed out that there was no such controversy when FIFA presented the award to the President of Argentina in 2019 in recognition of his contribution to football, and said the organization deserves praise for supporting peace in a divided world.
A Special Relationship
President Bill Clinton decided not to attend the World Cup draw in 1994, the last time the US hosted the event. But it's no surprise that Trump has decided to play a key role, given the global platform the World Cup provides.
A hint of the kind of scenes that could unfold at next year's event was seen at this year's Club World Cup final, when Trump chose to remain on the podium during Chelsea's tournament victory celebrations, clearly enjoying being the center of attention after presenting the trophy.
Recently, he welcomed Cristiano Ronaldo to a White House dinner in honor of the Saudi Crown Prince. Just days later, the forward received a surprise reprieve from FIFA when it suspended two of his three-match ban for elbowing Dara O'Shea during the defeat to the Republic of Ireland, ensuring his availability for Portugal's opening matches at the World Cup.
In recent years, Trump and Infantino have been seen together regularly, including at events off the field.
Since moving to the Oval Office in 2018 during Trump's first term, Infantino has been seen with Trump at the Davos Economic Forum, the signing of the Abraham Accords in Washington – a 2020 agreement between Israel and some Arab countries in the Middle East – and as a guest at Trump's second inauguration in January.
Following that event, FIFA praised their close friendship, and Infantino himself stressed that this was practical given the importance of the US hosting both the major Club World Cups and the World Cup.
FIFA also claimed that Infantino had a responsibility to develop and promote the sport worldwide, and he also held regular meetings with other world leaders.
Although Infantino appeared to have little rapport with US President Joe Biden during his time in the White House, he has maintained a rapport with other heads of state.
Ever since Infantino promised to repair FIFA's reputation and finances following a major corruption scandal nearly a decade ago, he has been considered close to Russian President Vladimir Putin – who awarded Infantino the Russian Order of Friendship medal in 2019 – as well as the rulers of two other World Cup host countries, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Infantino's closeness to such leaders has certainly sparked controversy and criticism, but it is his relationship with Trump that has generated the biggest backlash within the sport.
Earlier this year, delegates from Europe's governing body Uefa staged a walkout from the Fifa Congress in Paraguay when Infantino arrived hours late after joining Trump on a tour of the Middle East, accusing him of prioritising "private political interests" which "does the game no service".
In 2018 Infantino himself said "it is very clear that politics should stay out of football and football should stay out of politics".
But he defended the trip with Trump, insisting it had been crucial as it allowed him "to represent football" in "important discussions" with "world leaders in politics and economy".
But the episode only intensified scrutiny on the relationship, as did Fifa's decision to set up a new office in New York's Trump Tower. Infantino also made a surprise appearance at a summit in Egypt in October as Trump and other world leaders signed a declaration for bringing peace to Gaza.
The only sports leader present, Infantino claimed football could contribute to peace efforts, and said Fifa would help rebuild facilities in Gaza - but his presence again raised eyebrows.
A welcoming World Cup?
Amid such football diplomacy, there have also been concerns about the impact that some of Trump's policies and statements could have on the World Cup, and uncertainty over how welcome visitors from some countries will be.
In June the White House listed 19 countries, predominantly in Africa, the Middle East and the Caribbean, which would face full or partial immigration restrictions, referencing a need to manage security threats.
Amid suggestions that the list could be expanded to as many as 30 countries after an Afghan man was identified as the suspect in the recent shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House, Fifa has vowed to have a welcoming and unifying tournament.
But Iran and Haiti, whose teams have qualified for the World Cup, are among the countries affected by the ban. Last week Iran said they planned to boycott the draw because of the limited number of visas for their delegation.
The June executive order exempts athletes and coaching staff from travelling for the World Cup, but fans could face a ban.
"We want to make sure that we're as welcoming as possible," Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House's World Cup Task Force, said on Wednesday.
Giuliani hailed a programme designed to shorten wait times for interviews for visitor visas for those with tickets, but he did not rule out Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids targeting undocumented immigrants at World Cup venues. Giuliani insisted that authorities wanted to ensure visitors came into the US legally to prioritise the safety of US citizens.
Such a stance worries civil liberties campaigners, with Human Rights Watch (HRW) claiming the draw will take place against "a backdrop of violent detentions of immigrants, National Guard deployments in US cities, and the obsequious cancellation of Fifa's own anti-racism and anti-discrimination campaigns". They are among a group of organisations who on Wednesday claimed the World Cup was at increasing danger of being "weaponised for authoritarian aims."
"There is still time to honour Fifa's promises for a World Cup not tainted by human rights abuses, but the clock is ticking," HRW said.
Having praised Infantino as "one of the greatest men of sport" during a meeting at the Oval Office last month, Trump suggested he might even take matches away from Democratic-run host cities if he had concerns over safety and security.
While it is unclear whether the president will - or even could - follow through with a move that would cause major logistical and legal disruption, his words added to the uncertainty surrounding the tournament.
At the same meeting Trump suggested he could launch "strikes" against Mexico if it would stop drugs from being trafficked into the US. Coming after Trump's trade policies had already caused friction with both Mexico and Canada, it only reinforced concerns about the level of co-operation between the three World Cup co-hosts over issues such as security at the tournament.
Infantino could claim that, given the unpredictability of some of Trump's statements, having a close relationship with him is even more crucial.
But others would argue it also risks impeding his ability to stand up to the US president.
Image, elections and revenue
For Trump, the World Cup has been a focus of his second presidency. It gives him an ideal chance to project his image on a global stage, along with the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of US independence next year.
Hailing the event as an "incredibly significant economic opportunity" for the US, Trump is also hoping it provides a welcome tourism boost after a sluggish year for the industry in the US, with Fifa claiming it will generate £22bn for the economy and create almost 200,000 jobs.
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