U.S. Soccer VP Accuses Infantino of Compromising FIFA Integrity for Political Access
The U.S. Soccer Federation vice-president has published an editorial urging global football leaders to oppose FIFA president Gianni Infantino, alleging that the organisation’s leadership is prioritising political interests over the sport’s integrity.
Nathán Goldberg Crenier, vice-president of the U.S. Soccer Federation, has published an editorial in The Guardian accusing FIFA president Gianni Infantino of tarnishing the sport’s integrity to curry favour with U.S. President Donald Trump. Crenier, who was elected to his position in 2024, described the direction of Infantino’s leadership as egotistical and transactional, arguing that it threatens the soul of the game. He has called upon leaders of soccer federations worldwide to oppose the FIFA president’s management decisions.
The criticism centres on two specific incidents during the 2026 World Cup. Crenier highlighted FIFA’s decision to suspend the red card and one-match ban issued to U.S. Men’s National Team player Folarin Balogun before the Round of 16 match against Belgium. Balogun had been sent off during a previous match against Bosnia-Herzegovina for stepping on the ankle of Tarek Muharemovic, an incident many observers viewed as accidental. Reports indicated that President Trump personally called Infantino to request a review of the ban, though the U.S. president later stated he was forced to make the call and was unaware of the outcome.
While The Times of London reported that FIFA disciplinary chair Mohammad al-Kamali made the decision to overturn the ban independently, Crenier argued that the appearance of political influence was damaging. The controversy created significant outside noise that Balogun described as a distraction. Crenier further criticised the planned presentation of the World Cup trophy by Trump to the 2026 champions as a further debasement of the sport.
Another point of contention was the awarding of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to President Trump in December at the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C. Crenier noted that Infantino honoured Trump without prior approval or consultation from the FIFA Council. Some council members reported they were not consulted on the creation of the prize or the decision to award it, with others learning of the honour through media reports.
Crenier urged global football leaders to oppose Infantino’s management, noting that UEFA has already criticised the FIFA president for prioritising private political interests over the sport’s best interests. TalkSPORT reported that the European confederation may pursue candidates to replace Infantino. The 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is scheduled to take place at the New York New Jersey Stadium on 19 July 2026.
