Trump wants FIFA's Gianni Infantino as Next UN Secretary-General: Here's how he could get elected

United States (U.S.) President Donald Trump has reportedly pitched his friend and FIFA President Gianni Infantino as next secretary-general of the United Nations (UN) following the success of 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico.

A White House insider told The New York Post that Trump wants Infantino to succeed the incumbent Antonio Guterres who is due to step down in December this year. The insider said, “President Trump believes the 56-year-old Swiss football administrator is respected by everyone around the world and recognises he has a special ability to bring people together.”

However, the FIFA president has earlier stated that he wanted to run for a third term as the football body’s head and hasn’t yet reacted responded to the 80-year-old Republican leader’s proposal.

The 47th POTUS’s special envoy for global relationships, Paolo Zampolli praised Trump for having “such a genius idea.”

He hailed Infantino for successfully managing FIFA with over 200 members and drew parallels between the roles of FIFA head and UN secretary-general. Zampolli said: “In the UN, you have to deal with 193 states and in FIFA with over 200 members and Infantino’s great record shows he knows how to manage.”

How is the UN Secretary-General elected? 

• A vacancy arises when the current Secretary-General's five-year term ends or they leave office.
• Countries nominate candidates, although candidates can also effectively nominate themselves with the backing of a UN member state.
• The UN Security Council reviews the candidates and holds informal discussions and secret straw polls to gauge support.
• Any of the five permanent members—the United States, the United Kingdom, France, China, or Russia—can veto a candidate.
• The Security Council agrees on one candidate only after no permanent member objects.
• The Security Council officially recommends that candidate to the UN General Assembly.
• All 193 UN member states in the General Assembly vote on the recommendation.
• If the General Assembly approves, the candidate is officially appointed as the UN Secretary-General.
• The Secretary-General serves a five-year term and can be reappointed for a second term.

Leading names to replace Guterres include, former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Director General Rafael Grossi of Argentina.