'Unfaithful woman paid with public funds → pressure to resign': Chairman faces unprecedented crisis... Trump declares "fantastic person," publicly supports FIFA president

*This content was translated by AI.

Their relationship is exceptionally close. U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly expressed his support for Gianni Infantino, the FIFA president, who is facing intense pressure to resign amid efforts to sell FIFA's commercial rights.

The British media outlet 'BBC' reported on the 11th (Korea time) that "President Trump stated that forcing FIFA President Infantino to step down under pressure would be a terrible mistake."

Trump's remarks came after the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) issued an open letter accusing In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) of "breaking trust through deception" over FIFA's Forward Enterprise project, which Infantino had withdrawn.

The project involved a plan to sell a 21% stake in a newly established corporation responsible for managing commercial and ticketing rights for all FIFA tournaments, including the World Cup, to private equity investment firms. The investment group was reportedly led by U.S. venture capital firm Slice Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner, the brother-in-law of President Trump.

This marks the first time since the project was revealed on the 28th that President Trump has publicly defended In Pan-ti-no (Chairman). Through his personal social networking service (SNS), Trump stated, "If FIFA considers replacing Gianni In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) for any reason, it would be a terrible mistake. He is a fantastic person who led the most successful World Cup in history. If In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) leaves, the World Cup will never again be as successful or profitable as before."

However, despite President Trump's support, controversies surrounding In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) continue unabated. Earlier, the British media outlet 'The Telegraph' exposed allegations that In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) had an inappropriate relationship with a female subordinate during his tenure as UEFA Secretary-General and misused public funds.

According to reports, UEFA paid the woman, who was in a romantic relationship with In Pan-ti-no (Chairman), a severance package amounting to at least several hundred thousand pounds. The woman, known to be a low-level employee, was promoted to executive rank, and after leaving her job, she received funding from UEFA to cover MBA program tuition at a business school costing approximately 45,000 pounds (about 86 million won) annually per year. It was pointed out that public funds intended for youth soccer and other purposes were misused in this process.

When then-UEFA President Michel Platini raised concerns about the scandal at the time, In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) reportedly settled the matter by paying a large sum to have the woman resign. UEFA acknowledged the transfer, stating, "We were aware of rumors regarding the relationship with In Pan-ti-no (Chairman). We subsequently strengthened relevant regulations to align with modern large-scale organizations." In response, a FIFA spokesperson countered, "In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) strongly denies these allegations, calling them blatant lies," adding, "No employee of either UEFA or FIFA has ever raised concerns about his conduct."

Amid rumors of selling FIFA shares, continental confederations including UEFA, CONCACAF, and AFC have declared solidarity and vowed to fight resolutely. If Infantino does not resign, discussions are underway for severe boycotts, including a complete ban on participation in FIFA meetings. UEFA Vice President Laura McAllister strongly criticized the situation via 'BBC', stating, "You cannot cover everything up with a unilateral plan. We expect leadership changes by next year."

Already, Wales, England, Scotland, Serbia, Sweden, Finland, and others have withdrawn their support for In Pan-ti-no (Chairman). In contrast, Morocco, Qatar, and some countries in South America and Africa remain silent or maintain their supportive stance, accelerating divisions across the football community.

Opposition forces plan to either force In Pan-ti-no (Chairman) out by meeting the requirements for convening an emergency meeting (19 out of 37 members) or push for a leadership change at the March 2027 Morocco General Assembly by positioning Victor Montagliani, CONCACAF president, and Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, AFC president, as alternatives.

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*This content was translated by AI.