FIFA's Director of Football Development publicly distances himself from the failed plan to sell commercial rights, while the world football governing body denies reports that Infantino sought support from Donald Trump.
Pressure on FIFA President Gianni Infantino shows no signs of easing. After his controversial plan to sell a stake in the World Cup's commercial rights to private investors collapsed, he has now been publicly turned on by one of the most respected figures within the organization itself, the legendary Arsene Wenger.
Wenger, who serves as FIFA's Global Director of Football Development, has sharply distanced himself from the entire project, emphasizing that he was not even consulted about it. At the same time, FIFA has firmly denied media reports that Infantino, in desperation, attempted to secure the support of the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.
In his statement, Wenger detailed his role at FIFA, distancing himself from the strategic decisions that have caused an earthquake in the world of football. "At FIFA, I am the head of football development. With my team, I oversee match data analysis, FIFA's online training center, the development of youth education through 60 academies in 60 countries where it is most needed, and youth competitions worldwide. I am also a technical advisor to IFAB," Wenger said.
He then directly commented on Infantino's failed plan. "I was not involved in this strategic plan, and I first learned about the project through the media. The decision to withdraw the project was absolutely necessary and unquestionable, as I firmly believe in an independent FIFA that serves our sport with dedication, transparency, and integrity," Wenger stated, thereby dealing a heavy blow to Infantino's credibility within the organization itself.
Infantino came under fierce criticism after attempting to sell approximately 20 percent of a stake in an entity that would oversee FIFA's competitions, including the World Cup. The plan was to raise up to $4.2 billion from private investors, but the project collapsed due to strong opposition from key stakeholders.
Although Infantino has since abandoned his idea, the political damage has already been done. Numerous football associations have risen against him, and reports suggest that his chances of re-election as FIFA President for the 2027-2031 term are now seriously jeopardized. For instance, Wales has already withdrawn its support for Infantino, and England has announced it will follow suit.
Additional controversy was sparked by a report from the New York Post on August 4, 2026, claiming that Infantino had repeatedly and unsuccessfully attempted to reach President Trump by phone. The paper also reported that Infantino had scheduled private talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
FIFA responded to these allegations sharply and without hesitation. "The FIFA President has not made any call to the U.S. President, nor to any member of his administration, in recent days. That is pure fiction," FIFA's statement to Reuters read. The denial was further reinforced by Dylan Johnson, Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs, who posted on platform X that there were no plans for Rubio to speak with the 56-year-old Infantino.
The connection between FIFA and the Trump administration had already been a subject of public interest. In December 2025, Infantino presented Trump with the inaugural FIFA Peace Award, and additional attention was drawn by the fact that Thrive Capital, whose founder Joshua Kushner is the brother of Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, was expected to play a leading role in the now-failed commercial rights project.
While facing growing opposition in the West, Infantino has shared on social media messages of support from football associations in several countries, including Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Qatar, and Morocco. However, the question remains whether this support will be enough to save his position after a series of blows that have shaken the world football organization.
