March 3 – FIFA boss Gianni Infantino is still cosying up to Donald Trump despite the US president’s seismic spat with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy that shocked political commentators and the western world at large.
Infantino, who attended Trump’s inauguration in Washington last month and recently praised him for promoting a message of “peace and unity”, maintained a similar narrative after arriving in Northern Ireland to attend IFAB’s annual gathering on Friday and Saturday.
“I think it is absolutely crucial for the success of a World Cup to have a close relationship with the (US) president,” Infantino told reporters, referring to next year’s competition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
He also seemingly went as far as to leave the door open to Russia’s eventual return to the fold despite a FIFA ban for its invasion of Ukraine.
Infantino said Trump had not asked him to consider readmitting Russia, with World Cup qualifying for 2026 to begin this spring, but added tellingly: “We want to have all the countries playing.”
The FIFA president also defended the hugely controversial decision to award Saudi Arabia the World Cup in 2034 despite the fact there was only one candidate, the fact that the 211 football associations were unable to express any opposition since the decision was taken by acclamation and despite a huge backlash from human rights organisations.
“There was a [Fifa] congress decision, uniting the entire world. I think it was a very positive step for football, bringing, in eight years, football all over the world, hosting everyone,” Infantino told reporters.
“Football is the game of everyone. Everyone loves football. It’s the No 1 sport in the world. We have to be bringing everyone on the table.”
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