Infantino Takes World Cup Charm Offensive To Us Mayors

FIFA President Gianni Infantino will take the stage Thursday at the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ 94th Winter Meeting in Washington, D.C., in a high-profile pitch to America’s local leaders just months before the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Infantino’s appearance at the mayoral gathering at the Marriott Marquis is the latest stop in a multi-year charm offensive aimed at U.S. political leaders, as soccer’s global governing body FIFA works to lock in support ahead of the tournament the United States will co-host with Canada and Mexico.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is a nonpartisan group that represents the leaders of more than 1,400 cities, many of whose leaders are in Washington this week for the three-day meeting focused on issues facing local governments.

Infantino’s expected appearance comes amid high anxiety among World Cup host cities about the implications of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration policies. The shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis has led to riots and protests, and calls from some European figures to boycott the five-week tournament scheduled to begin in June.

In remarks titled “Celebrating 2026 FIFA World Cup From Coast to Coast,” Infantino will likely reiterate — as he has in stops from the White House to city halls in a sustained tour that resembles a political campaign — that fans from around the world will be “welcome.” He often stresses that FIFA is working in collaboration with the Trump administration to ensure a smooth visa process for visitors.

The mayoral conference appearance also underscores Infantino’s unusually aggressive outreach to U.S. power centers. Since the start of President Donald Trump’s second term, Infantino has met with the president at least eight times — more than any world leader — and traveled frequently to the eleven American cities that will host World Cup matches.

Most recently, Infantino attended Trump’s “Board of Peace” signing in Davos, Switzerland, less than two months after creating the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize and awarding it to Trump.