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Gianni Infantino’s hold over the FIFA presidency appears to be weakening, with the Swiss-Italian football administrator now looking towards the United States government for support. After the collapse of a controversial proposal to sell the commercial rights of the World Cup, Infantino is reportedly trying to secure high-level political backing to protect his future in the job.

High-stakes talks with Rubio lined up

Infantino is said to be approaching the Trump administration in a major bid to remain in charge of world football. People familiar with the matter told the New York Post that Infantino has arranged private discussions with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for Monday morning, at a time when calls for him to step down are growing after a failed attempt to privatise the World Cup’s commercial assets.

This comes as Infantino is understood to be feeling increasingly isolated within global sport, especially after his once-close ties with President Donald Trump are believed to have cooled sharply. In spite of his attempts to strengthen that relationship ahead of the 2026 World Cup, insiders say the U.S. President is presently unwilling to take his calls. A second source said the FIFA president feels “isolated” by the recent surge of negative media attention and is actively “looking for allies of note to publicly support him.”

The failed $20 billion Kushner proposal

The trigger for this extraordinary crisis was the emergence of a secret plan to establish a subsidiary called FIFA Forward Enterprise. The proposed body would have controlled the commercial rights to football’s biggest tournament, with Josh Kushner’s Thrive Capital due to acquire a 20 per cent stake for around $4 billion. The overall deal was valued at $20 billion, but the plan caused immediate and widespread anger among national federations. Several football officials said they had been left uninformed and only discovered the possible sell-off through media coverage.

Tensions inside FIFA have now reached breaking point, with senior officials feeling deeply let down. Kevin Lamour, FIFA’s chief operating officer, publicly expressed his frustration after the negotiations fell apart. Speaking to the Associated Press on Friday, Lamour said he felt “deceived” by Infantino’s conduct and made it clear that he had no knowledge at all of the secret discussions involving the private equity firm. That internal split has reportedly resulted in the creation of a campaign known as “Project Kill The Monster,” a move by FIFA executives specifically designed to remove Infantino from the presidency.

UEFA boycott and European backlash

The biggest challenge to Infantino’s authority came from UEFA, European football’s governing body. On July 30, UEFA members voted unanimously to boycott every FIFA-run competition, including the 2030 men’s World Cup. The remarkable step was taken in direct response to the proposed $20 billion arrangement, and it has left FIFA facing both logistical and political turmoil. The 2030 tournament is due to be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, which means the boycott could produce the extraordinary situation of two host countries refusing to take part in the very event they are meant to stage.

A situation echoing Blatter’s downfall

As pressure continues to mount, Infantino’s dependence on American political figures underlines how serious his predicament has become. His planned call with Rubio is being seen by many as a final attempt to find an influential protector outside football. Even so, neither the U.S. State Department nor FIFA has issued any official comment on the purpose of the discussions. Infantino, who became FIFA president after the corruption scandals that brought Sepp Blatter’s rule to an end, is now confronting a similarly career-threatening crisis of his own.