Donald Trump wants Gianni Infantino to exchange the FIFA presidency for the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The US president intends to promote one of his most compliant allies on the international stage to succeed António Guterres, whose second term ends on December 31.
The information has been advanced by the 'New York Post', which cites sources close to the president. According to that version, Trump believes that Infantino is "respected by everyone in the world" and possesses a special ability to bring together countries with conflicting interests.
For now, the idea has not moved to the official realm. Infantino has not confirmed that he wants to lead the United Nations nor has he been formally presented as a candidate by any member state. FIFA has also not publicly responded to the proposal.
His known agenda points in another direction. The Swiss-Italian leader announced in May that he will run in the March 2027 elections to continue presiding over the organization that controls world football, a position he has held since 2016 and for which he again has broad support among the 211 national federations.
An alliance built from FIFA
The proposal comes after a World Cup in which the closeness between Trump and Infantino ceased to be a protocol matter. Both shared numerous events, exchanged praise, and turned the championship held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada into a showcase of their personal rapport.
Months before the tournament, Infantino created the first FIFA Peace Prize and decided to award it to Trump. The award was announced in November 2025 and granted just a few weeks later during the competition draw, when the US president had just lost his bid for the Nobel Peace Prize again.
FIFA presented the recognition as a tribute to his efforts to unite people. Infantino then described the leader as a leader concerned about the safety and well-being of the population, in a ceremony designed around Trump's own figure.
The most serious episode came during the World Cup. The US president telephoned Infantino to ask him to review the sanction imposed on Folarin Balogun, a striker for the United States national team, after he was sent off. The suspension was postponed and the player was able to play in the round of 16 against Belgium, an unprecedented decision that provoked protests from several European federations.
Trump publicly boasted about his intervention. Infantino acknowledged the call, although he defended that FIFA's disciplinary bodies had acted independently and following their internal procedures.
The human rights organization FairSquare has brought his behavior before the International Olympic Committee. Its complaint accuses the FIFA president of repeatedly infringing political neutrality obligations and asks to investigate whether he yielded to Trump's pressure in the 'Balogun case'.
Fifty MEPs and the Norwegian Football Federation have also demanded that his conduct be examined. Infantino is a member of the IOC and is obliged to respect rules that prohibit using sport to offer political support to specific governments or leaders.
The man who attacks the UN wants to choose its leader
Trump's interest comes after years of confrontation with multilateralism. During his two terms, he has withdrawn the United States from international organizations and agreements, has cut US contributions, and has repeatedly accused the United Nations of being ineffective.
Since his return to the White House, the United States has abandoned the World Health Organization, UNESCO, and the UN Human Rights Council, while the Republican government has reduced funding for various international agencies.
That history makes his bet on Infantino more than a personal preference. The United States is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and can veto any aspirant, so it will have a decisive influence on the election. Trump cannot unilaterally appoint the next secretary-general. Candidates must be presented by one or more states, receive the recommendation of the Security Council, and then be ratified by the General Assembly.
The process already has leaders with political and diplomatic experience. Among the names that have gained strength are former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi, and former Senegalese President Macky Sall.
There is also a political expectation that the position will fall this time to a person from Latin America or the Caribbean, the only region that has not held the Secretary-General position since the departure of Peruvian Javier Pérez de Cuéllar in 1991. The candidacy of a European leader like Infantino would break that unwritten rotation and would also frustrate the aspiration to elect a woman for the first time.
The 'New York Post' itself reports that people close to Trump despise the group of official aspirants and consider them mediocre. This assessment clashes with the political experience of several candidates and presents FIFA's management as a credential comparable to leading the world's main diplomatic body.
The Security Council will begin to study the candidacies at the end of July and is expected to make a decision between August and October. Infantino must clarify beforehand whether he will abandon his campaign at FIFA to accept Trump's endorsement and formally enter the race for the United Nations.
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