FIFA has opened an office in Trump Tower in New York City, the organization’s president Gianna Infantino announced this week, in the latest sign of deepening ties between soccer’s governing body and President Trump before the U.S. hosts next year’s World Cup.
Infantino announced the decision in a presentation at the Trump Organization’s Manhattan headquarters Monday, where he was joined by the president’s son Eric Trump and former Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo, a two-time World Cup winner.
“So today, we are opening an office of FIFA here in Trump Tower,” Infantino said.
The FIFA president added that soccer’s governing body has “received such a big support” from the Trump White House and its World Cup task force. That government task force is chaired by Mr. Trump, whom Infantino called “a big fan of soccer.”
He also thanked Eric Trump and the Trump Organization for their support. “Our success is your success,” the FIFA president said. Eric Trump, executive vice president at the Trump Organization, praised the FIFA president for “bringing the tournament” to the U.S.
CBS News has reached out to FIFA and the Trump Organization for comment.
The FIFA president has built close ties with Mr. Trump since he returned to office in January.
Infantino has made several appearances alongside the U.S. leader: He attended the president’s inauguration, has visited the Oval Office at least twice and met Mr. Trump during his overseas trip to the Middle East in May, during which the FIFA leader received a standing ovation.
“Great job, Gianni,” Mr. Trump said at the U.S.-Saudi Investment Forum.
Infantino was late to FIFA’s annual congress held in Paraguay after joining Mr. Trump in Saudi Arabia and Qatar in May. In protest, delegates from FIFA’s European confederation, UEFA, walked out of that session.
In a statement to CBS News, UEFA called Infantino’s delay “deeply regrettable” and backed its representatives, saying that the “last minute” request by FIFA to “accommodate private political interests does the game no service.”
Mr. Trump, meanwhile, told reporters this week he plans to attend the final of the Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sunday.
The Club World Cup trophy was also revealed to the public at Trump Tower earlier this week. It was first displayed in the Oval Office in March and will now stay in Mr. Trump’s New York property until Sunday’s finals, in which French champions and UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint Germain will face English Premier League team Chelsea.
The Club World Cup brings individual clubs from all six continental confederations of FIFA. Under the new format, 32 teams were selected for this year’s tournament based on their domestic and international achievements. Although similar in name, the better-known World Cup features national teams only.
The opening of an office in Trump Tower is another move to expand FIFA’s presence in the United States ahead of the World Cup. Last summer, it opened a legal and compliance division office in Miami.
The United States, Canada, and Mexico are set to co-host the World Cup next year. Two Canadian, three Mexican, and 11 American cities will welcome 48 nations to the iconic competition, up from 32, its first increase since 1998.
Mr. Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a massive spending law that passed both chambers of Congress last week, allocates $625 million for World Cup security funding. It also offers $1 billion for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Mr. Trump’s interest in the World Cup dates back to his first term, when FIFA awarded the event to the U.S. and its neighbors. The president urged other FIFA members to support the U.S. bid ahead of FIFA’s 2018 decision.
Hosting the World Cup has become as sought-after as the Olympics for nations around the world. The event attracts a massive television audience, with some 570 million viewers tuning into the 2022 Finals match, according to figures from FIFA.
But the selection process has increasingly attracted controversy, with FIFA facing allegations of corruption and bribery in the way it has managed past contests to secure hosting and media rights. Federal officials in the U.S. have prosecuted the heads of various regional soccer bodies for taking bribes and kickbacks. The organization denies the accusations of widespread bribery and says the game is for everyone.
“We want to make football truly global and in order for football to become truly global, we need to embrace the entire globe,” Infantino said in the draw ceremony of the 2023 Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
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