US President Trump reportedly wants FIFA President Gianni Infantino to be the next Secretary-General of the United Nations, The New York Post reported on Tuesday.
Swiss-born Infantino has developed a close relationship with Trump as they worked together to organize this year’s World Cup, in which the United States was one of the host countries. Infantino gave the president the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize in December, and the two attended the World Cup Final on Sunday in New Jersey together, where they jointly presented the trophy to the champions, Spain.
Trump believes that everyone in the world respects Infantino and understands that “he has a special ability to bring people together.” Therefore, he reportedly wants the FIFA president to replace António Guterres, the current secretary-general, who is retiring at the end of the year.
Paolo Zampolli, Trump’s special envoy for global partnerships, echoed that sentiment, noting that there are some similarities between FIFA and the UN: “At the United Nations, you have to deal with 193 member states. In FIFA, there are over 200 members [and] Gianni’s great record shows he knows how to manage.”
Trump has been antagonistic toward the UN since he retook office in January 2025. He thinks that the body does not do enough to mediate global conflicts and instead merely issues statements, which is part of what pushed him to create the Board of Peace, a body that has been a key part of the peace plan in the Gaza Strip.
Trump withdraws US from over 30 UN organizations, including WHO, UNESCO
Trump has also withdrawn the United States from over 30 UN organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), UNESCO, and the UN Human Rights Council, citing ineffectiveness and waste of taxpayer money.
It is unclear whether Infantino, who has already declared his candidacy for re-election as FIFA president next year, wants the job or has discussed it with Trump. Either way, being chosen for the secretary-general position is a complex process.
Infantino would need the endorsement of nine of the 15 members of the UN Security Council without any vetoes from the five permanent member nations: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition, he would need confirmation by a majority of the 193-member UN General Assembly.
Infantino, however, has recently received backlash surrounding the reversal of USMNT striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension. Balogun had been given a red card and suspended during the US victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, but before the Round of 16 match against Belgium, Trump called Infantino about the situation. Shortly after, Balogun’s suspension was overturned, raising questions about the integrity of FIFA’s disciplinary process and Infantino’s susceptibility to political pressure.
The decision enraged several European countries, though it ultimately proved irrelevant as Belgium defeated the United States even with Balogun playing. However, there are still people who believe Infantino should be ousted as FIFA President over the controversy.
Other potential candidates, mostly from Latin America
There are other candidates for the position aside from Infantino, most of whom are from Latin America or the Caribbean, a region that has not been represented in the role since 1991 when Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru held the position. However, none of those candidates has stood out yet.
Chile’s former socialist president Michelle Bachelet is being considered, though she could face opposition from the United States. Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, is also an option, though the UK may not approve of him, as it has a dispute with Argentina over the Falkland Islands.
It is possible that if Infantino were to become the organization’s next secretary-general over alternative candidates, Trump’s relationship with the UN could be repaired.