Trump Reportedly Wants Infantino for UN Role After 2026 World Cup

Trump Eyes Infantino for United Nations Post

Donald Trump reportedly wants FIFA president Gianni Infantino to move into a significant United Nations role after the 2026 World Cup wraps up on American soil. The story, first reported by HITC, adds a new dimension to the already high-profile relationship between the US president and the head of world football's governing body.

Infantino and Trump have maintained a visible public connection in recent years. The FIFA boss attended Trump's inauguration in January 2025, a gesture that signaled the closeness of their relationship and raised eyebrows across the sports and diplomatic worlds alike. Now, according to reports, that relationship could have real consequences for Infantino's career path once the biggest football tournament on the planet concludes.

The 2026 World Cup is set to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, making it one of the most logistically complex editions in the competition's history. For Infantino, overseeing a successful tournament on Trump's home turf would represent the peak of his tenure at FIFA, and apparently, Trump sees that moment as a potential springboard to something far bigger.

What a UN Position Would Mean

A major United Nations role would represent a dramatic shift for Infantino, whose career has been built entirely within sports administration. He has led FIFA since 2016, steering the organization through a period of significant reform following the corruption scandals that rocked the body under previous leadership.

Moving from football governance to international diplomacy is not a small step. The United Nations operates across areas including peacekeeping, humanitarian aid, climate policy, and global economic development. Whoever occupies a senior position there carries influence that extends well beyond any single industry, including sport.

That said, sport has long been used as a soft-power tool by governments and international bodies, and Infantino has positioned FIFA as a global development organization as much as a football administrator. He has made repeated trips to regions often overlooked by Western institutions, building relationships across Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Those connections could be seen as relevant experience for a UN-facing role.

The specific position Trump is said to have in mind has not been confirmed in detail, and it is not clear what formal steps, if any, have been taken toward making such an appointment happen. Securing a senior UN role typically involves a nomination process and backing from member states, meaning Trump's support alone would not be sufficient.

Infantino's FIFA Future Under Scrutiny

Infantino's term at FIFA is also a factor worth watching. His current tenure runs through to 2027, meaning a post-2026 World Cup departure would require him to step down before his term formally ends. Whether he would be willing to do that, or whether FIFA's statutes would allow a clean exit on those terms, is unclear.

His leadership at FIFA has not been without controversy. Questions have been raised over governance decisions, the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, and his handling of various political sensitivities around host nation selections. Supporters argue he has modernized and stabilized the organization. Critics remain skeptical.

For now, the reported Trump push adds an unusual political layer to the buildup toward 2026. The World Cup itself is already carrying enormous symbolic weight for the United States, with Trump having championed the hosting rights as a mark of American prestige. If Infantino delivers a smooth tournament, that outcome could strengthen the case for whatever comes next.

Neither the White House nor FIFA has publicly confirmed the reported plan.