Trump floats FIFA boss Gianni Infantino for UN Secretary-General: 'He can bring people together'
WASHINGTON, DC: President Donald Trump is reportedly lobbying for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to become the next United Nations secretary-general, citing the Swiss soccer executive's ability to unite people on the world stage following the successful 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The idea comes as current UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of Portugal prepares to step down in December after completing his term, with the next secretary-general set to take office on Jan 1, 2027.
Whoever succeeds Guterres must first be endorsed by all 15 members of the UN Security Council, whose five permanent members hold veto power, before receiving confirmation from the General Assembly.
Trump backs Gianni Infantino for UN role
Trump believes that Infantino “is respected by everyone around the world and recognizes he has a special ability to bring people together,” a source close to the president told The Post.
Trump’s proposal follows a period of increased collaboration between the two men during the 2026 tournament, the first FIFA World Cup to be co-hosted by three countries: the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Infantino, 56, rented office space in Trump Tower and accompanied Trump on trips to Saudi Arabia and Qatar in the run-up to the tournament. In December, he awarded Trump FIFA's inaugural Peace Prize.
The pair attended the entire tournament, including the trophy presentation after final, with Trump distributing medals before Infantino presented the trophy to Spanish captain Rodri.
Trump has credited Infantino with playing a major role in turning the event into “one of the greatest sporting events in history.”
Questions linger over Gianni Infantino's UN bid
Whether Infantino is interested in the UN's top job is unknown. The position also offers significantly lower pay than his reported FIFA salary. FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The White House has not indicated whether it plans to formally advance Infantino's candidacy through the US mission to the UN or is simply floating the idea informally.
The reaction of Security Council members, including Russia and China, as well as Washington's European allies, also remains uncertain.
The best-known contenders include Chile’s former socialist president Michelle Bachelet, who could face US resistance, and Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, the current director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, who could face opposition from the UK over the disputed Falkland Islands.
But multiple sources say that the informal geographic rotation system would not necessarily block Infantino and that it is possible he could receive multiple nominations in addition to Trump’s.
Paolo Zampolli, the Italian-American businessman and diplomat serving as Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships, told The Post that “only President Trump could have such a genius idea.”
Zampolli said Infantino “would do a great job” and is “liked by everybody,” describing him as someone who could bring fresh energy to the massive bureaucracy while using sports to build new bridges and inspire the world’s young and poor populations.
Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has slashed US contributions to the UN and withdrawn from several of its agencies and bodies, including the World Health Organization, UNESCO, and the UN Human Rights Council.
Installing Infantino could improve Trump's relationship with the UN.
Whether that same closeness helps or complicates Infantino's prospects on the global diplomatic stage remains to be seen as the race to succeed Guterres gets underway later this year.
