United States President Donald Trump is reportedly supporting FIFA President Gianni Infantino to succeed António Guterres as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations.
According to The Independent (UK), Trump believes Infantino possesses the leadership credentials and international standing required for the role as Guterres’ tenure is expected to end in December.
A White House source quoted by the New York Post said the US president believes Infantino “is respected by everyone around the world, and recognizes he has a special ability to bring people together.”
Infantino, a 56-year-old Swiss lawyer, has already indicated his intention to seek a third term as FIFA president and has not publicly commented on the reported endorsement.
To become UN Secretary-General, Infantino would first require the support of the United Nations Security Council before his nomination can be approved by the General Assembly.
Trump’s Special Envoy for Global Partnerships, Paolo Zampolli, also welcomed the idea, saying “only President Trump could have such a genius idea” as nominating the FIFA chief for the UN’s top position.
Zampolli added that Infantino “would do a great job” and described him as “liked by everybody,” expressing confidence that his experience leading world football could translate into effective global diplomacy.
Drawing a comparison between FIFA and the United Nations, he said, “At the United Nations, you have to deal with 193 member states. In FIFA, there are over 200 members [and] Gianni’s great record shows he knows how to manage.”
Should Infantino decide to pursue the position, he is expected to face competition from other potential candidates, including former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Rafael Grossi of Argentina.
The move would also represent a significant pay cut, with Infantino’s reported annual FIFA salary estimated at about $6 million, compared with the UN Secretary-General’s annual salary of roughly $418,000.
Trump has frequently criticised the United Nations over its handling of global conflicts and has withdrawn the United States from several UN-affiliated organisations, including the World Health Organization, the Human Rights Council and UNESCO.
The US president and Infantino developed a close working relationship during preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Following Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in the World Cup final, Trump joined Infantino on the podium to present medals and the trophy to the newly crowned champions.
Despite the tournament’s success, Infantino faced criticism over the expansion of the World Cup to 48 teams, high ticket prices and other organisational concerns.
He also attracted renewed scrutiny after FIFA overturned the suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun following reported pressure from Trump, a decision that sparked widespread debate over the independence of the governing body’s disciplinary process.
