Donald Trump wants FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to take over as the next United Nations secretary-general when António Guterres steps down at the end of December. According to reports from the New York Post citing sources close to the White House, Trump believes the 56-year-old Swiss-born soccer executive is respected everywhere and holds a special ability to bring people together.
It sounds like a political satire headline. It isn't.
Trump and Infantino spent weeks side by side during the 2026 World Cup across North America. Infantino went out of his way to court the American president throughout the tournament, even presenting Trump with an inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. Now, Trump reportedly views the existing slate of candidates vying for the UN's top job as weak and uninspiring.
If you step back and look at the actual math, this proposal faces massive hurdles. But understanding why Trump float this idea reveals plenty about his frustration with global diplomacy and his fondness for showman executives.
How a World Cup Bromance Sparked a Radical Diplomacy Idea
Trump and Infantino didn't just share a box at the World Cup final in New Jersey. They built a close rapport that drew raised eyebrows across international sports and politics.
Infantino spent months keeping Washington happy. When US forward Folarin Balogun received a red card suspension ahead of the Round of 16 match against Belgium, Trump publicly complained. FIFA's decision-makers ended up lifting the suspension. That move sparked fury among European football executives, with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin claiming a dangerous red line had been crossed.
Yet for Trump, Infantino proved himself as a man who gets things done without hiding behind bureaucratic red tape.
Paolo Zampolli, Trump's special envoy for global partnerships, openly praised the concept of Infantino leading the UN. Zampolli pointed out that managing FIFA involves coordinating 211 national member associations. That's actually more than the 193 member states sitting in the UN General Assembly. From Trump's perspective, running soccer's governing body isn't all that different from managing global multilateral diplomacy.
Why the Proposal Faces Massive Obstacles in New York
Throwing a sports executive into the highest diplomatic office on earth violates almost every established UN protocol.
To get the job, any candidate needs a formal recommendation from the 15-member UN Security Council. That means surviving potential vetoes from the five permanent members: the US, Russia, China, Britain, and France. After clearing the Security Council, the candidate must win a vote in the UN General Assembly.
The UN also follows an informal regional rotation system. The top diplomatic position is widely expected to go to a candidate from Latin America or the Caribbean this cycle.
Prominent diplomatic figures in the running include former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi of Argentina. Pushing a European sports official like Infantino completely throws that unwritten geographic agreement out the window.
Money presents another glaring problem.
Infantino currently earns roughly $6 million a year running FIFA. He's also seeking re-election for another term as FIFA chief in March. The UN secretary-general salary sits around $418,000 annually. Taking the UN job would mean taking a 93% pay cut while swapping relative autonomy at FIFA for constant political deadlock in New York.
Trump's Frustration With Global Bureaucracy Runs Deep
This pitch isn't occurring in a vacuum. Trump has spent years criticizing international institutions for being slow, expensive, and ineffective.
Since returning to the White House, Trump has slashed US funding to the UN and pulled out of several affiliated organizations, including the World Health Organization, UNESCO, and the UN Human Rights Council. He even set up a US-led Board of Peace, raising questions about whether he wanted to build a rival structure to bypass traditional diplomatic channels.
Trump sees traditional diplomats as talkers who produce lengthy reports without real results. He prefers corporate managers and sports leaders who focus on branding, spectacle, and executive authority. Infantino fits that personal mold perfectly.
Whether Infantino actually wants the job remains unknown. He didn't respond to requests for comment regarding the report, and White House officials haven't confirmed formal outreach.
Watch the UN Security Council deliberations closely over the next few months as official nominations take shape. If Washington formally submits Infantino's name, expect immediate pushback from European allies and Latin American nations expecting their turn at the helm. If you're following global politics or international sports governance, pay attention to whether the US delegation uses its veto power to block conventional candidates in an attempt to force a non-traditional leader into the conversation.
