Fifa president Gianni Infantino has been called upon by political figures in Switzerland to help persuade Donald Trump to lower tariffs on the landlocked nation.
The US President has announced that Switzerland is in line to be slapped with 39 per cent tariffs as part of his sweeping economic policies that have seen countries rush to negotiate exceptions.
And with President Karin Keller-Sutter and economy minister Guy Parmelin’s meeting with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio not leading to an announcement on changes in planned tariff levels, some in Switzerland have said football chief Infantino could help negotiations.
The Fifa president is from Swiss town Brig and his organisation is headquartered in Zurich. Infantino has grown close to President Trump with the US hosting the recent Club World Cup – won by Chelsea – ahead of next year’s co-hosting of the World Cup, with Canada and Mexico.
Trump previously said that Infantino let him keep the original Club World Cup trophy, with Chelsea – according to the President – getting a replica, while Infantino was seen at Trump Tower in New York last month opening new offices ahead of the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
Infantino to the rescue
The 55-year-old, who next year will be marking a decade in post, also attended the inauguration of Trump – alongside the likes of UFC president Dana White and former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson – in January.
National Councillor Roland Rino Buchel told the Financial Times that it is “definitely time to bring in Gianni Infantino now without further delay to help open doors”.
He added: “If Parmelin picked up the phone and asked Infantino for help I would well imagine he would do it.
“The situation is bad. We need better ideas for the good of the country and the thousands of jobs that will be affected if we do not get a better deal. Infantino is the best person to maybe secure a meeting.”