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US President Donald Trump is reportedly keen for FIFA’s Gianni Infantino to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations.
According to a report by US media outlet The New York Post that cites a source close to the president, Trump believes there is a clear opportunity for a challenger to take the role and sees Infantino as a “respected” potential candidate.
The process is already underway to replace the UN’s current Secretary-General, António Guterres, who finishes his second term on 31 December. The winning candidate would need the approval of the 15-strong UN Security Council.
Trump and Infantino, who heads football’s world governing body FIFA, have formed a close and somewhat controversial relationship in recent years, often serving up mutual flattery as they have appeared alongside each other at press conferences and trophy presentations.
Their relationship has become particularly public since Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025 and seemed to strengthen during the 2026 World Cup, which took place across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Perhaps the most hotly debated moment of their friendship came during the knockout stage of the tournament, following the US men’s national team’s victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32.
During the match, which the US won 2-0, star striker Folarin Balogun was sent off after catching Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemović on the ankle as they fought for possession. Balogun received a one-match ban over the incident, meaning he was set to miss the US’s crucial round of 16 tie against Belgium.
But FIFA made a shock decision to suspend the ban after Trump made a phone call to Infantino asking him to review Balogun’s suspension, prompting strong criticism from across the footballing world and beyond.
Some members of the European Parliament called for an investigation into Infantino following the incident, while FairSquare, a non-profit human rights organisation, filed a complaint against the FIFA boss with the International Olympic Committee, alleging that he had “repeatedly breached IOC’s rules on political neutrality by offering his political support” for Trump.
Infantino defended the decision to suspend the ban and said FIFA’s judicial bodies were independent.
“Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected,” he said in a statement earlier this month.
He added that he “regularly” discussed “matters related to the FIFA World Cup” with Trump and confirmed that he had received a call from the president over the Balogun incident.
“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold,” he said.
Earlier this year, Infantino also awarded Trump with FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize, marketed as an award recognising “exceptional actions for peace and unity.”