FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing a formal request for an investigation by the governing body’s ethics committee, alleging he broke rules on political neutrality through his close alignment and public support for United States president Donald Trump.
The complaint, filed by human rights campaign group FairSquare, concerns multiple actions taken by Infantino, arguing that they constitute a breach of FIFA’s ethical mandate for political neutrality.
The main focus of the controversy is the awarding of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to President Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC last week. FairSquare contends that "The award of a prize of this nature to a sitting political leader is in, and of itself, a clear breach of FIFA's duty of neutrality".
The complaint also cites several public comments and social media posts made by Infantino, including his statement that Trump "definitely deserves" the Nobel Peace Prize and his endorsement of the president’s actions in a November interview.
Nicholas McGeehan, FairSquare's programme director, suggested that the issue is broader than just political support: "More broadly this is about how Fifa's absurd governance structure has allowed Gianni Infantino to openly flout the organization's rules and act in ways that are both dangerous and directly contrary to the interests of the world's most popular sport".
The FIFA Code of Ethics requires all persons bound by the code to remain "politically neutral" in their dealings. A violation of this duty can be sanctioned with a fine and a ban on taking part in any football-related activity for a maximum of two years.
The investigation by FIFA's ethics committee, if formally launched, will determine whether a breach occurred and what sanctions, if any, should apply.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to begin on 11 June 2026. Should the investigation proceed and result in a suspension or ban for Infantino, it could potentially mean that FIFA would be led by an interim president for the start of the tournament—or even a new elected president, depending on the length and timing of the process.
FIFA, which has closely aligned itself with the US government ahead of the co-hosted tournament, has yet to specify the selection process for the newly created peace prize, which also forms part of the complaint.
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