REPRESENTATIVES from Fifa, including its president Gianni Infantino, and the players and staff of Juventus FC, stood behind Donald Trump at the White House on Wednesday as he discussed various political issues, including war in the Middle East, Iran and nuclear weapons, and the political opinions of Emmanuel Macron, Tucker Carlson and Ted Cruz.

It was a surreal moment. The photos from the Oval Office, where the press conference occurred, almost looked like they had been created using AI, but this was very real.

It took place against a backdrop of the United States hosting the Fifa Club World Cup and co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, while at the same time, its government is issuing travel bans on nationals from numerous countries, and is proposing bans on even more.

Such bans call into question the United States’ suitability as a host of global events, including the 2028 Olympics.

Infantino has said in the past that teams, supporters, and officials need to have access to a World Cup host country, else there cannot be a World Cup there.

Fifa claims to be apolitical, but as it has begun to favour hosting tournaments in the highly geopolitical climates of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United States, football’s global governing body has entered the world of politics by default.

Despite its claims of political neutrality, Fifa’s president has all but endorsed Trump in the build-up to the 2025 Club World Cup and 2026 World Cup.

Maybe it’s a move from Infantino to attempt to ensure the World Cup can run smoothly and bypass the repressive travel bans and visa issues that many visitors to the 2026 tournament will inevitably face.

Not to mention the potentially hostile environment that might be encountered by fans at the hands of the authorities once there.

Trump has received infinitely more promotion and attention from Infantino than the Canadian and Mexican equivalents, whose countries will co-host the 2026 tournament.
 

This episode in the White House alongside the Juventus team was the latest such promotion — a passive endorsement.

During this meeting, Trump also tried to push his transphobic agenda and even turned to the Juventus contingent in an attempt to get them to endorse his views.

Trump asked the players: “Could a woman make your team?”

United States international Timothy Weah replied, “Yeah,” before Juventus’s general manager Damien Comolli said, “We have a very good women’s team.”

“They’re very diplomatic,” responded Trump, having failed to get the response he wanted.

The presence of Fifa and the football team appeared to give Trump more enthusiasm in his answers, as if, in standing behind him, they were providing some kind of moral support while also providing him with an audience for a performance.

He occasionally turned to them and made tenuous links to football amid his answers to political questions from the press pack.

“I have a meeting in the war room in a little while… Israel, from the standpoint of winning a war, is doing pretty well,” said Trump.

Fifa and Juventus looked on. Some players gazed into the distance as best they could, looking like they wanted the ground to swallow them up.

Trump deferred to Infantino when a question was raised as to whether the US government's travel bans on certain countries were a concern.

The Washington Post reported last week that 36 countries are proposed to be added to the existing list of 19, many of them African, and many of which will qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

“It’s not a concern for us,” Infantino said. “For the games now in the Club World Cup, everything has been done in a very smooth way.

“We have an excellent, excellent collaboration, of course, with the president, but with the task force in particular.

“For next year’s World Cup, we have one more year to work, and the learnings that we have this year with the Club World Cup… we will apply them next year.”

Trump interjected, as he and Infantino continued to falsely claim that many Club World Cup matches are sold out.

“They’re largely sold out, so I don’t think he needs to worry about the travel ban,” said Trump.

“I don't think he’s [Infantino] too worried about the travel ban. He doesn't know what the travel ban is.

“Gianni, tell me what the travel ban is? He doesn't know what it is.

“It’s largely sold out. Tonight is. Totally. I've had friends who heard about this meeting, they said, ‘Can you give me tickets’?”

In a response to the very next question, Trump was speaking about Iran and nuclear weapons.

“I’ve been saying for 20 years Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and I think they were a few weeks away from having one. I believe they’d use it,” he said. Again, Fifa and Juventus looked on.

When asked about the possible destruction or dismantling of Iran’s Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, Trump somehow linked it to football.

“We're the only ones that have the capability to do it, but that doesn't mean I'm going to do it at all,” he said.

“We have the best military equipment in the world. We have planes that are undetectable. Flying around like nobody's able to see him.

“Stealth. You guys [Juventus] want to be stealthy tonight. You know, if you can be stealthy, you'll never lose, right?

“But these are incredible planes and weapons. We have the best weapons in the world, by far. Nobody is close.”

Other political language included Trump describing his supporters as “America first and make America great again,” before going on to say, “We’re not looking for a ceasefire [in Iran], we’re looking for a total complete victory.”

To the football match itself, and in the media area after the game had been played at Buzzard Point in Washington DC, with Juventus recording a 5-0 win against Al-Ain, United States international and Juventus player Timothy Weah commented on his White House experience earlier in the day.

“It was all a surprise to me, honestly,” said Weah, who is the son of ex-footballer and former president of Liberia, George Weah.
 

“They just told us that we have to go, and I had no choice but to go.

“I guess it was a cool experience, being in the White House for the first time is always wonderful, but I’m not one for the politics, so it wasn’t that exciting.

“It was a bit weird. I was caught by surprise when he started talking about politics, Iran, and everything. It was kind of like, I just want to play football.”

Weah was open to answering such questions and answered them in good faith, something Fifa will not do.

In his post-match press conference, Juventus manager Igor Tudor was asked by Athletic journalist Adam Crafton about the visit to the Oval Office.

Before Tudor could muster a response, a Fifa official stepped in and said there would be no questions on the subject.

Fifa can’t continue to put itself in these political situations and then not respond to questions on it or prevent others, whom it dragged into the situation, from doing so.

If Fifa doesn’t want to be asked questions about going to the White House to meet Donald Trump, then don't go to the White House to meet Donald Trump and stand behind him while he talks about war, targets transgender athletes, and discusses travel bans that will affect the World Cup.

In hindsight, the Trump press conference was actually a rare opportunity to quiz Fifa on these issues, but the US media understandably wanted to speak to Trump about the pressing issue in Iran.

Fifa is about to embark on one of its most politically charged World Cups ever, to the point where fans of numerous nations could be banned from attending, and many who can attend might feel under threat.

It will have to tackle these issues soon or risk a World Cup that goes against its supposed values and excludes much of the world.