US Soccer VP Condemns Infantino’s Political Entanglement
In a sharply critical editorial, Nathán Goldberg Crenier, vice-president of the US Soccer Federation, has accused FIFA president Gianni Infantino of damaging the credibility of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by aligning too closely with former US President Donald Trump.
The editorial, published in The Guardian, argues that Infantino's attempts to curry favor with Trump have backfired, entangling football in political controversy and undermining the sport’s core values.
Infantino’s Pursuit of Preferential Treatment
Since the United States secured co-hosting rights for the tournament, Infantino has reportedly worked to ingratiate himself with Trump, seeking preferential treatment for football’s governing body from the American government. Goldberg Crenier likens this to a “Faustian bargain,” stating that “cozying up to Trump always backfires, tarnishing the entire sport along the way.”
A Tarnished Vision for the World Cup
The editorial contrasts the positive potential of the tournament with the political damage caused by Infantino’s actions. “I love soccer because, at its best, it is inclusive, democratic and accessible to everyone,” Goldberg Crenier writes. “The sport’s universal cultural impact truly lends it the potential to be a force for good that ‘unites the world’, as Fifa loves to say.”
Despite Trump’s hardline anti-immigrant policies, the early stages of the World Cup showed that visiting teams and fans found most Americans warm and welcoming. However, Infantino’s close association with Trump has overshadowed that goodwill, drawing criticism from across the football community.
FIFA’s Credibility at Stake
The letter highlights growing concerns that FIFA’s leadership is prioritizing political alliances over the integrity of the sport. By tying the World Cup to a polarizing figure like Trump, Infantino risks alienating fans and undermining the tournament’s unifying message.
Goldberg Crenier, an elected vice-president of the US Soccer Federation, emphasizes that his views are personal and do not reflect the federation’s official stance. Nevertheless, the editorial adds to mounting pressure on Infantino to distance FIFA from political entanglements.
Read the full editorial on The Guardian.
