Money Grab/Charge for access to the president
FIFA chief gives Trump $15,000 in Club World Cup tickets
Gianni Infantino gave the president 10 tickets worth $15,000 to the July 13, 2025 Club World Cup final, where Trump joined him on the field to present the trophy. FIFA was preparing to host the 2026 World Cup in the United States and needed visa, security and logistics decisions from the administration.
What happened
On July 13, 2025, the Club World Cup final was played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and FIFA president Gianni Infantino gave Trump 10 tickets valued at $15,000. Trump attended and joined Infantino on the field to present the trophy to Chelsea.
The gift appears in Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure, released June 30, 2026, which labels the tickets as for the FIFA World Cup Final. The Wall Street Journal counted more than $120,000 in ticket gifts in the filing, including from UFC’s Dana White and the PGA of America.
FIFA was preparing to host the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico and needed decisions from the administration on visas for teams and fans, security and logistics. The administration later waived visa bonds for ticket holders.
Infantino has since awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize and arranged for him to present the 2026 World Cup trophy. That prompted an ethics complaint citing FIFA’s stated political neutrality. Rep. Jamie Raskin asked FIFA for a list of all gifts and payments to Trump, his family and administration.
Who benefited
Trump received $15,000 in tickets, a place on the field at the trophy presentation, a FIFA Peace Prize, and a role presenting the 2026 World Cup trophy. Each came from the head of the body that needed his administration’s cooperation.
Who wanted something
FIFA was hosting the largest sporting event in the world on U.S. soil in 2026 and needed the administration’s cooperation on visas, security and logistics. The White House said there were no conflicts of interest. The administration later waived visa bonds for ticket holders.
Who lost out
Federal gift rules exist so that people with business before the government cannot buy access with presents. The head of an organization that needed visa, security and logistics decisions from the administration gave the president a personal gift and public honors.
Why it matters
The $15,000 is small; the organization behind it was running the World Cup on U.S. soil and needed the administration’s cooperation to do it. Its president gave the sitting president a gift, a prize and a place on the podium. The public learned of the gift only a year later, on June 30, 2026.
Sources CNBCWall Street Journal via To VimaFront Office SportsBlue News