FIFA reportedly spent $4 million renting a suite in New York City’s Trump Tower, a space that now largely sits empty. The organisation signed a lease for more than seven years approximately a year before the 2026 World Cup, sources told The New York Times.
Most of FIFA's American employees work from two offices in Miami, and there are currently no plans to staff the Trump Tower location, the sources indicated. FIFA defended the arrangement to The New York Times, stating it "complies with all local laws" and "was signed in accordance with FIFA’s standard internal process."
The decision to open the Trump Tower office was led by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, according to two sources cited by The New York Times. FIFA stated that the nearly 5,000-square-foot space is primarily used for special events and during the United Nations General Assembly, adding that "New York is a global city, and FIFA is a global organization; it is therefore logical for FIFA to have a presence there."
Former FIFA governance head Miguel Maduro told The New York Times that the lease may be a conflict of interest. He stated that the deal "raises a clear conflict of interest in the light of FIFA’s interests in the U.S. World Cup or its partnership with President Trump’s Board of Peace."
The deal has also highlighted the relationship between President Donald Trump and Infantino. Infantino attended Trump’s 2025 inauguration and later that year presented him with the FIFA Peace Prize. This relationship has prompted an ethics complaint from Norway’s soccer federation, accusing Infantino of possible abuse of power and conflict of interest.