USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is reportedly asking President Trump to help him keep his job.
After the World Cup, Infantino has found himself under fire after he attempted to sell off pieces of the World Cup to private investors.
After intense pushback from UEFA and Concacaf, Infantino abandoned the plan over the weekend.
On Monday, the NY Post reported that Infantino is currently attempting to set up a meeting with White House officials to save his job as President of FIFA.
Via NY Post
FIFA President Gianni Infantino wants the Trump administration to help keep him in office and has sought private talks with Secretary of State Marco Rubio Monday amid growing pressure to resign over his scheme to sell off the World Cup to Josh Kushner’s private equity firm, The Post has learned.
“He wanted to get online with the secretary and talk about how soccer can be a form of soft power for America,” said one insider briefed on the matter. “But we all know that it is about job protection. It is not about anything else at this point.”
The Post goes on to report that Infantino has tried to call Trump directly, but has the President won’t pick up his phone calls.
Sources say that Infantino, 56, has repeatedly tried and failed to reach Trump, 80, by phone since his plan to sell off the game’s commercial assets to private investors collapsed on Friday.
The Post broke the news that Infantino’s attempt to spin off broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing and ticketing rights was dead after near-universal uproar from soccer federations worldwide.
UEFA is now calling on Infantino to resign over his failed scheme.
“A proposal of this magnitude does not reach that stage by accident. It is a symptom of leadership that has stopped putting football first. This recent unilateral and egregious act of poor governance and leadership follows a pattern of missteps and similar behaviour. A full review of this leadership must now take place.”