FIFA has denied reports that Gianni Infantino arranged talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he sought support from Donald Trump’s administration amid growing pressure over his position as president of world football’s governing body.
A FIFA source told Fox News that no meeting or telephone conversation had been scheduled between Infantino and Rubio, or with any other member of the US government, either on Monday or at any later date.
The source specifically rejected a report in the New York Post which said such a conversation had been arranged. FIFA has not, however, issued an official statement on a separate claim that Infantino had repeatedly tried to contact President Trump.
The New York Post reported on Monday that Infantino was expected to hold a private discussion with Rubio as scrutiny increased over his unsuccessful attempt to sell part of FIFA’s commercial operations to private investors.
According to the newspaper, the stated purpose of the conversation was to discuss how football could be used as a form of “soft power” for the United States.
However, one source quoted by the New York Post said the proposed discussion was really intended to strengthen Infantino’s position as he faced mounting opposition.
“He wanted to reach out to the secretary and talk about how football could be a form of soft power for America, but we all know it’s about protecting the position. It’s not about anything else at this stage,” the source said.
The report also claimed Infantino had made several attempts to contact Trump since the controversial proposal collapsed on Friday. It said the FIFA president was trying to secure prominent allies who would be prepared to defend him publicly.
FIFA’s source denied that any call or meeting with Rubio, or with another Trump administration official, had been scheduled. The source did not address in detail the New York Post’s allegation that Infantino had attempted to establish contact with Trump himself.
The claims come at a sensitive point for Infantino, following the failure of the plan to transfer part of FIFA’s business to private-sector investors. The proposal had drawn controversy and was followed by increased pressure on the FIFA president’s continued leadership.
The New York Post’s account presented the alleged contact with the US administration as part of Infantino’s efforts to protect his role. FIFA, through the source quoted by Fox News, has challenged the central claim about a planned discussion with Rubio, while leaving the allegation regarding Trump unanswered.
No further details were provided about any possible communication between Infantino and the US president, or about the identity of any allies he may have sought to enlist.
