FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing fresh controversy after a London-based human rights organisation, FairSquare, formally accused him of violating FIFA’s strict requirement of political neutrality. The group filed a request for investigations into what it describes as Infantino’s open political support for former United States President Donald Trump, including awarding him an unexpected “FIFA Peace Prize.”
The allegations come at a sensitive time for global football governance, as FIFA prepares for the 2026 World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The tournament is expected to bring in more than $10 billion in revenue for FIFA—one of the largest in the history of the sport.
In its eight-page complaint, FairSquare argued that Infantino’s remarks and gestures in favour of Trump breached FIFA’s duty to remain strictly neutral in political matters. FIFA’s own ethics code states that officials must avoid influencing political decisions or appearing to use their office for political purposes. Violations can carry penalties, including bans of up to two years from football-related activities.
FairSquare said that by publicly praising Trump and awarding him a newly introduced “FIFA Peace Prize,” Infantino crossed a major ethical boundary.
“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 group said.
The organisation highlighted several instances when Infantino openly praised Trump. These include an Instagram post in October where he said Trump “definitely deserves” the Nobel Peace Prize, and public comments in which he urged others to support Trump’s policies.
FairSquare also raised concerns about how the peace prize was created. According to the complaint, FIFA did not announce or explain the process for setting up the award, and even officials within FIFA reportedly learned about it through media reports.
“If Mr. Infantino acted unilaterally and without any statutory authority this should be considered an egregious abuse of power,” FairSquare said.
FIFA has yet to confirm whether it received the complaint, saying its ethics committee does not comment on potential ongoing cases. While the committee is responsible for investigating ethical misconduct, critics have raised questions in recent years about its independence.
During the era of former president Sepp Blatter, the ethics committee aggressively pursued cases of corruption, eventually leading to Blatter’s removal in 2015. Since then, several groups have argued that the current structure gives the FIFA president more informal influence over internal investigations.
Football governance analysts say the Infantino case will be a major test of whether the ethics body still has real independence.
Infantino has developed a particularly close relationship with American political leaders over the past few years. The United States is set to play a central role in hosting the 2026 World Cup, with several major cities expected to hold key matches.
Last Friday in Washington, D.C., Infantino appeared on stage with political leaders from the U.S., Canada and Mexico to kick off the official draw for the World Cup. During the ceremony, Trump was honoured with the first FIFA Peace Prize. A video celebrating Trump’s achievements was played before Infantino made warm remarks.
“This is what we want from a leader,” Infantino said on stage. “You definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize … and you can always count, Mr. President, on my support.”
This was only one of several public endorsements. In an interview last November at the American Business Forum in Miami, Infantino said: “We should all support what Trump is doing in the U.S. because I think it’s looking pretty good.”
FairSquare also referenced a video message Infantino posted on Instagram on January 20—Trump’s 2017 inauguration day. In the message, Infantino said: “Together we will make not only America great again, but also the entire world.”
The human rights organisation said the message went beyond courtesy and instead amounted to a political endorsement.
FairSquare is no stranger to confronting FIFA.
The group has previously filed complaints or raised concerns about:
Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, especially after being awarded hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup
The role of Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company, as a top World Cup sponsor
FIFA’s slow investigations into Israeli settlement teams participating in the Israeli league system
Because of its track record, FairSquare’s complaint carries weight among human rights and sports governance observers.
The allegations come as FIFA continues to face scrutiny over its handling of global football politics. In recent years, FIFA has sought to portray itself as a neutral, reform-minded organisation, especially after corruption scandals rocked the institution during the Blatter era.
Infantino, who became president in 2016, promised a more transparent and accountable FIFA. However, critics say he has expanded his personal influence, forged political friendships with powerful world leaders, and pushed through projects that raise concerns about governance and accountability.
It remains unclear whether FIFA’s ethics committee will open an investigation. If it does and finds Infantino guilty of violating neutrality rules, the FIFA president could face sanctions, including a temporary ban from football.
For now, the complaint has renewed global debate about the role of politics in international sport, the power of the FIFA presidency, and the challenges of ensuring accountability in one of the world’s most influential organisations.
