RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter questioned the relationship between his successor, Gianni Infantino, and US President Donald Trump long before plans were put in place to sell off a portion of the competition to private investors.
In the aftermath of the 2026 World Cup in North America, Infantino is trying to sell part of the World Cup commercial rights for $20 billion.
While the President himself has not been reported to be buying a stake, it has emerged that Joshua Kushner, the brother of Jared Kushner, who is Donald Trump’s son-in-law, is part of a private investor group that could do so.
This has seen both the Trump family and FIFA come under fire in recent weeks, while Blatter began to question the US President and Infantino’s relationship back in 2025.
Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images
Sepp Blatter questioned if Donald Trump or Gianni Infantino was his successor at FIFA
In an interview published by The Telegraph on December 5, 2025, Blatter expressed his view that their relationship was not good for football and even commented that he doesn’t know if his successor at FIFA is Infantino or Trump.
He went on to speak about ‘personal connections’, suggested the World Cup Trophy could have been moved to the White House and finished with a rather worrying line about ‘If the politicians decide where you play the game, then where is our game going’.
Blatter’s full comments read: “My successor, I don’t know if it is really Trump or Infantino.
“I cannot say they should not have a good friendship, but I don’t see exactly the big interest of football.
“I see this as personal connections, especially with Trump, and I’m not so sure where the actual trophy of the World Cup, which has always been in Zurich well guarded until the opening of the new World Cup, [is]. I doubt that. Perhaps that his trophy is already in the White House.
“That will be the end. If the politicians decide where you play the game, then where is our game going?”
The relationship between Trump and Infantino has been a major talking point of late, with the former becoming increasingly unpopular due to his World Cup plans.
However, there has been speculation that he could extend his time as President of FIFA beyond the traditional three terms, as he has only technically served two terms as an elected President after Blatter initially stepped down.
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