Donald Trump denies speaking with Gianni Infantino about World Cup sell-off plan

Donald Trump denies speaking with Gianni Infantino about World Cup sell-off plan

Donald Trump has denied speaking with FIFA president Gianni Infantino about his controversial sell-off plan. Infantino has come under major backlash after proposing to create FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) to manage its competitions. The FFE would sell a 20 per cent stake to private investors, a move that has put Infantino's position under serious risk. Trump, who was hosting a cabinet meeting, was asked by reporters if he had spoken to the FIFA president. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say "No, I never spoke to him," Trump told reporters. The pair had dealings at the World Cup after the US president personally asked Infantino to "review" a red card shown to the US striker Folarian Balogun. The forward had his one-match ban suspended and was able to play against Belgium in the last-16. Infantino's latest move, trying to set up the FFE, has significantly backfired for the FIFA president. LATEST SPORTS NEWS: Chelsea escape points deduction after secret FA appeal as club hit with huge fine Fifa accelerate plan to expand World Cup to 64 teams amid Gianni Infantino scheme Gianni Infantino's own words come back to bite him as FIFA descends into chaos The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, has labelled Infantino "the wrong man" to continue leading FIFA forward. He told reporters on Friday: "This was an outrageous suggestion. "The idea that it could even be brought forward shows that, in my view, [he] is the wrong man to lead the organisation." Burnham has been openly critical of FIFA's plans, describing football's governing body earlier this week as "sell-outs". "Let me say this very directly. Football does not belong to investors. It belongs to the people who fill the stands and who stand on the touchline week in, week out, rain or shine," he said. "The World Cup is not a product. It is the greatest competition in world sport, and it was never anyone's to sell. "Dress the deal up however you like. Once you have sold a piece of it, you have sold out. Football

Donald Trump gives curt answer to question about Gianni Infantino's FIFA World Cup selloff

Donald Trump was asked whether he'd spoken to Gianni Infantino about his plan to sell stakes in the FIFA World Cup to a firm linked to his family

Trump pitches FIFA boss Gianni Infantino for UN secretary-general after World Cup: report

President Donald Trump insists his friend is ‘respected by everyone around the world,’ ignoring the many controversies that threatened to throw soccer’s biggest tournament into turmoil