Infantino has long wooed rump

[underpants]

2. Trump bailed FIFA executives out on DOJ indictments in his first term.

President Donald Trump's administration and the Department of Justice have intervened in high-profile FIFA cases. In May 2026, the DOJ moved to dismiss bribery convictions and indictments against sports executives (including former Fox executive Hernan Lopez) tied to a long-running soccer television rights corruption scandal. Additionally, in July 2026, Trump directly contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to successfully lift a one-match suspension for U.S. striker Folarin Balogun.Justice Department Drops FIFA Bribery Convictions


The Justice Department moved to dismiss convictions and indictments against individuals in the landmark FIFA bribery and racketeering case. The case, which previously shook the global soccer world by exposing massive corruption in broadcasting rights for major tournaments, has unraveled due to recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings on corruption and a shift in Department of Justice policy. Prosecutors cited the "interests of justice" in dismissing the charges against defendants who had previously been convicted by a jury in 2023