The Post indicated that Infantino had made multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact U.S. President Donald Trump by phone since the proposal’s collapse on Friday, expressing feelings of “isolation” due to the surge of negative media attention.
According to the Post, Infantino arranged private discussions with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, with two sources confirming he will speak with America’s top diplomat shortly after 9 a.m. ET.
Criticism has escalated regarding his abandoned plan to separate the FIFA commercial assets into a new entity financed by private investors.
FIFA did not provide an immediate comment, and the White House has yet to respond to a Reuters inquiry.
Infantino’s scheme aimed to generate up to $4.2 billion from private investors by offering around 20% of a new entity that would oversee competitions like the World Cup, but it was withdrawn on Friday following strong opposition from stakeholders.
With the proposal now off the table, focus has shifted to the possible consequences for the 56-year-old Swiss Infantino, whose candidacy for another term as FIFA president from 2027 to 2031 is under intensified scrutiny after this unsuccessful initiative.
