Infantino’s Faustian bargain with Trump has stained football’s biggest stage

Fifa president Gianni Infantino’s efforts to build a close relationship with Donald Trump have triggered fresh criticism over the way football’s biggest tournament has become entangled with politics, according to an editorial from The Guardian Football.

The piece argues that Infantino has sought to win favour with the US president since the United States secured co-hosting rights for the 2026 World Cup, with the aim of obtaining preferential treatment for Fifa from the American government. But the editorial says that approach has not protected the sport from political fallout. Instead, it suggests, it has damaged football’s credibility and exposed the dangers of aligning too closely with Trump.

The commentary frames football as a sport with broad cultural appeal and social value, describing it as inclusive, democratic and accessible. It says the World Cup carries a rare ability to bring people together across borders and backgrounds, echoing Fifa’s own language about the game uniting the world.

The article also points to the tournament’s opening atmosphere as evidence that many visitors and teams found Americans welcoming, despite Trump’s hardline stance on immigration and foreigners. That contrast is used to underline the editorial’s broader argument: that football’s global reach can stand apart from the politics surrounding it, even when powerful figures try to pull it into their orbit.

The report was based on a monitored public feed from The Guardian Football. It is published here with source attribution for readers seeking the original editorial perspective.

Source: The Guardian Football - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jul/18/gianni-infantino-donald-trump-fifa-world-cup-comment