World Cup fans turn on Fifa president Gianni Infantino over Donald Trump links

In December 2025, Fifa president Gianni Infantino presented US president Donald Trump with the ‘Fifa Peace Prize’. File picture. Sam Corum/PA

“He is the most corrupt man walking the planet,” exclaims English fan Priscilla Mensah.

The man she’s talking about is not a tyrannical warlord, a billionaire financial fraudster, or even US president Donald Trump — who holds the ire of many residents in New York City.

Instead, she’s referring to Fifa president Gianni Infantino.

In New York, there is a real sense that Infantino has become the pantomime villain of the 2026 World Cup.

Fans watching the France vs Spain semifinal at the Rockefeller Center are not traditional die-hard football fans.

There are a lot of families, casual American fans dipping their toes into the World Cup for the first time, and business executives availing of corporate gift passes.

Yet when Mr Infantino’s face flashes on screen, raucous boos erupt from nearly all viewers.

Mr Infantino holds the disdain of fans largely due to his proximity to Mr Trump and the perception he has become subservient to the strongman.

In December 2025, Mr Infantino presented Mr Trump with the ‘Fifa Peace Prize’ — an award Fifa says is for “individuals who help unite people in peace through unwavering commitment and special actions”.

“That whole mixing of politics with Fifa is BS…but that’s America, that’s Trump’s America right now, that’s what happens,” says England fan Mark Newman-Holden, who has lived in New York for the past 30 years.

Controversy is nothing new for Mr Infantino, but Fifa’s recent decision to overturn US striker Folarian Balogun’s red card likely serves as one of the World Cup’s largest all-time scandals.

Sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina after his studs fell on the Achilles of Tarik Muharemović , Balogun was set to be suspended for his team’s round of 16 clash against Belgium.

Fifa president Gianni Infantino. Where many thought Donald Trump would become the great villain of the tournament, Mr Infantino appears to have taken his stead.  File picture: Carl Recine/Getty

Some thought the red card was harsh.

“I didn’t think it was a foul,” Mr Trump said.

“I thought it was two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.”

Mr Trump lodged three calls to Fifa.

A day before the scheduled clash with Belgium, Balogun’s suspension was lifted.

Both Mr Trump and Mr Infantino have insisted that the decision was an autonomous one — but many, including some of Mr Trump’s closest political allies, have cast their doubts.

US Senator Ted Cruz heaped praise on Mr Trump at a White House press conference “for getting rid of that ridiculous red card”.

The US ultimately flamed out against Belgium, losing 4-1.

Fans have described the decision as “blatant corruption”.

“It was horrible, something like that should never be done, it’s just unfair,” said USA fan Chris Grullon.

“It was just blatant favouritism and corruption…you never see stuff like that in soccer, but once you get into the USA you start to see stuff like that.”

'A bit of karma'

“Soccer itself is a game of unity and equality, so we’re all on the same floor, if you get a red card you get a red card, you pay the consequences,” said Mexico supporter Nayelly Rodriguez.

“At the end the US did horrible…I believe it was a bit of karma,” she said.

Where many thought Mr Trump would become the great villain of the tournament, Mr Infantino appears to have taken his stead.

Barring the Balogun incident, Mr Trump has been largely invisible for the course of the tournament.

He is yet to attend a single game — though he will be in attendance for the final to present the World Cup trophy.

Expect his words to be strongly dictated by the identity of the winners — while Trump is a strong endorser of Argentine President Javier Milei, he has less time for Spain’s socialist leader Pedro Sánchez, and has labelled Spain “a horror show” and “a wasted cause” for its opposition to the war in Iran.