FIFA President Gianni Infantino made headlines after appearing alongside US President Donald Trump at the Summit for Peace in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, a high-profile event focused on establishing stability in the Middle East amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
He shared picture with US president on his personal Instagram handle with a long message which said, "I attended the extremely important Summit for Peace in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt co-chaired by 🇺🇸 United States President Donald J. Trump and Egypt President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi aimed at establishing a new era of regional security and stability. The presence of world leaders from multiple nations and United Nations delegates, among others, signifies a united effort – I am of the firm belief that all of us need to come together to build bridges and am thankful to everyone for supporting peace, with special gratitude to @potus for inviting me to this summit."
Infantino calls for football to support peace in the Middle East
Infantino has consistently used his platform in global football to promote peace initiatives in the Middle East. Just last week, he called on the sport to back initiatives aimed at ending regional conflict, speaking ahead of Israel’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
Speaking to reporters at the European Football Clubs General Assembly in Rome, FFIA president said, "Now there is a ceasefire, everyone should be happy about that. Everyone should support that process,"
"Those who have responsibilities to broker and to do these steps, they have done that, and now everyone else should support it. It goes beyond football, but it includes football as well."
The FIFA president's appearances alongside Trump on the global stage have become increasingly frequent. Earlier this year, Infantino accompanied the US President on a visit to the Middle East and also addressed the United Nations, where he spoke on sports diplomacy and humanitarian efforts.
These developments come as ties between FIFA and Washington grow stronger, especially with the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Infantino's influence in the region has been further underscored by Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup and Saudi Arabia's successful bid for the 2034 tournament.
