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The close friendship between President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino could develop into a working relationship.
Trump reportedly wants Infantino to be the next secretary general of the United Nations, according to the New York Post.
Trump has faith that Infantino will be “respected by everyone around the world” and, following the first FIFA World Cup in three different countries, the 45th and 47th president of the United States believes 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 presenting it to Spain captain Rodri at the awards ceremony following the 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026. (Getty Images)
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Pak Gazette Digital on this matter.
Infantino, the Swiss-born leader of soccer’s largest governing body, reached out to Trump while hosting the World Cup. Trump was included in many different aspects, including Infantino awarding him the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in December.
Trump was also seen presenting the Club World Cup trophy last year at MetLife Stadium, and 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 match, Trump was seated between First Lady Melania Trump and Infantino, while the World Cup trophy was seen in his suite to view before presenting it on the field.
The next UN secretary general will be elected later this year, and that person will take office on January 1, 2027. Portuguese António Guterres will resign in December.
It remains to be seen if Infantino will be considered for the role. It must first be endorsed by all 15 members of the Security Council before receiving confirmation from the General Assembly. Each of the five permanent members of the Security Council has veto power.
Infantino must also want the job, and it’s unclear if that’s the case here. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Pak Gazette Digital.
US President Donald Trump and FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) President Gianni Infantino talk in the Oval Office of the White House after signing an executive order for a working group related to the FIFA World Cup, in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2025. (Jim WATSON/AFP)
If Infantino wants to run for secretary general, The Post has learned that Trump believes he would run against seven “lame” candidates, including Chile’s former socialist president, Michelle Bachelet.
Argentine Rafael Grossi could also be a candidate for the position, although the director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency could face resistance from the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a highly disputed situation between the two countries that reached the World Cup.
Paolo Zampolli, who serves as Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships, told The Post that Infantino “would do a great job,” believing he is “loved by everyone.”
Zampolli has reportedly dealt with FIFA in the past, when the Italian-American businessman and diplomat proposed to Infantino to replace Iran with Italy for the World Cup in an effort to repair the relationship between Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Zampolli was also Dominica’s ambassador to the UN.
“In the United Nations you have to deal with 193 member states. In FIFA there are more than 200 members. [and] “Gianni’s great track record shows that 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 awards ceremony after the 2026 FIFA World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina at New York Stadium, New Jersey, in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19, 2026. Spain defeated Argentina with a goal from Ferran Torres in the 106th minute of the extension (Getty Images)
Infantino, however, came under fire from some soccer organizations around the world after the revocation of Folarin Balogun’s red card for the United States World Cup team prior to 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 his own elections next year, as March 2027 is when the FIFA Congress will decide whether he will run for a fourth term.
Meanwhile, Trump has not shied away 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 2026 FIFA World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina at New York and New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026, in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Getty Images)
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If Infantino does not want the UN job and is re-elected by the FIFA Congress to remain president, he will host yet another tournament in 2027. The FIFA Women’s World Cup, to be held in Brazil, will take place before an even bigger FIFA World Cup in 2030.
To honor the tournament’s centenary, 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 no tournament has been played in six different countries and three different continents.
