<\/p>\n
US president Donald Trump will allegedly do \u201ceverything possible\u201d to help Gianni Infantino remain as FIFA president as massive pressure comes from European governing body UEFA.<\/p>\n
Infantino\u2019s presidency is under threat after his failed scheme to sell off 20 to 30 per cent of a new subsidiary to private investors. <\/p>\n
\ufeffGet all the latest football news, highlights and analysis delivered straight to your inbox with Fox Sports Sportmail. Sign up now!!!<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n The plan was met with widespread condemnation around the football world with the severe backlash ultimately leading to Infantino and FIFA to scrap the plan – which would have resulted in Trump\u2019s son-in-law Jared Kushner\u2019s company owning part of the World Cup.<\/p>\n Infantino\u2019s Trump connection is in the spotlight once again as the FIFA boss and White House officials denied reported that Infantino was set to hold talks on Monday with the likes of Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, and other members of Trump\u2019s cabinet to help strengthen his position.<\/p>\n A senior administration official, who is close to both Trump and Infantino, told The Telegraph<\/a> that the US president had grown fond of the FIFA president in recent years and wants to see him keep his role at next year\u2019s election.<\/p>\n Trump even reportedly had suggested making Infantino the next secretary-general of the United Nations.<\/p>\n \u201cGianni helped us a lot to deliver the best World Cup ever. The president likes him a lot. I am sure the president will do everything possible to help him,\u201d the source said.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think the president will change his mind on him, because he is a loyal person. Gianni really delivered the World Cup for the United States. We value that.\u201d<\/p>\n Don\u2019t miss any major developments to this story. Make us a preferred source on Google<\/a> > <\/b><\/i><\/p>\n Away from the White House, Infantino has only received public support from the football federations of Morocco, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Lebanon.<\/p>\n In Europe, top officials are working tirelessly on trying to force Infantino to resign, or making sure he is toppled at next year\u2019s election – where all 211 member nations get a vote.<\/p>\n UEFA, CONCACAF and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have formed an alliance aimed at toppling Infantino with The Times reporting they are willing to \u201cparalyse FIFA\u201d if he refuses to resign.<\/p>\n That would includes being prepared to stage their own rival international competitions and imposing a \u201cgovernment boycott\u201d, meaning refusing to ratify FIFA decisions or be involved in council and committee meetings. <\/p>\n \u201cEveryone is very determined he needs to go, and if not we will take all the necessary steps [to remove him from power],\u201d a source told The Times<\/p>\n \u201cThat includes future international competitions – would the big South American countries prefer to play France or Spain, or Lebanon or Djibouti? Everyone is very determined, there are no backward steps now.\u201d<\/p>\n TalkSport<\/a> also reported that UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin is pushing for European clubs to boycott the FIFA Club World Cup if Infantino remains in power.<\/p>\n Ceferin is planning to talk with European Football Clubs chair Nasser Al-Khelaifi at the UEFA Super Cup final on August 12 about the matter.<\/p>\n Ceferin and Infantino have butted heads for many years on the Club World Cup, which was expanded to 32 teams last year off the back of Infantino\u2019s long-term vision of the tournament competing with the Champions League.<\/p>\n The UEFA boss called it a \u201cselfish endeavour\u201d by his FIFA counterpart when plans for an expanded Club World Cup were discussed back in 2018.<\/p>\n The next edition of the tournament, due to be held in 2029, is up in the air, however, with no host confirmed, but Infantino was eager to expand it to 48 teams.<\/p>\n Many clubs have also reportedly not been given payments they were promised by FIFA from last year\u2019s tournament in the US, which was won by Chelsea.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, UEFA have also sent a legal letter to Infantino and the other 13 FIFA executives, which includes former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, to preserve all relevant documents for an investigation into their actions.<\/p>\n The report from The Times\u2019 Martyn Ziegler, who broke the FIFA privatisation story, comes after his report that the English FA are formally set to withdraw their letter of support for Infantino\u2019s re-election.<\/p>\n READ MORE<\/b><\/p>\n Transfer latest \u2014 Italian giants move to sign Socceroos World Cup star as record price demanded<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n \ufeffInside talks that sunk \u2018deranged\u2019 WC money grab, put \u2018deplorable\u2019 villain on brink of abyss<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n