A new storm has erupted at the summit of world football — and its epicentre is FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s increasingly public embrace of U.S. President Donald Trump. A blistering complaint filed with FIFA’s Ethics Committee now accuses Infantino of “repeated, clear breaches” of FIFA’s political neutrality rules, transforming what began as an eyebrow-raising peace prize ceremony into a global governance crisis.
The complaint, lodged by human-rights watchdog FairSquare, demands a full-scale investigation into Infantino’s conduct and into the mysterious creation of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize — handed to Trump during the World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., in a lavish on-stage presentation that stunned football stakeholders.
The controversy exploded after Infantino presented Trump with a giant trophy, medal and certificate — all under the banner of a newly conceived “FIFA Peace Prize.” The award, introduced without consultation of the FIFA Council or vice-presidents, immediately raised alarms among football governance experts. Human Rights Watch later blasted it as a prize with “no nominees, no criteria, no judges and no process.”
FairSquare’s complaint argues that introducing a global political award — and giving it to a sitting head of state — inherently violates FIFA’s duty of neutrality.
Four Breaches, One President, and a Pattern of Endorsements
The eight-page submission, reviewed by The Athletic, outlines four explicit breaches of Article 15 of FIFA’s Code of Ethics — all tied to Infantino’s public praise and promotion of Trump:
1. Lobbying for Trump’s Nobel Peace Prize.
In October, Infantino used his Instagram platform to declare that Trump “definitely deserves the Nobel Peace Prize,” calling his actions in the Israel-Gaza ceasefire “decisive.”
2. Campaign-style praise at Miami’s America Business Forum.
Sharing a stage Trump had just vacated, Infantino called the U.S. President “a really close friend,” urging the public to support Trump’s political programme because it was “looking pretty good.”
3. The World Cup Draw endorsement.
During the Peace Prize presentation, Infantino told Trump: “This is what we want from a leader… you can always count on my support.”
FairSquare notes this echoed unverified White House claims that Trump “ended wars” across the globe.
4. A “MAGA-style” Instagram message.
In January, after attending Trump’s pre-inauguration rally, Infantino signed off a video by declaring: “Together we will make not only America great again but also the entire world.”
FairSquare argues these statements go far beyond diplomacy, amounting to overt political alignment — something explicitly banned under FIFA statutes.
The complaint warns that Infantino’s actions “pose a clear threat to the integrity and reputation of football,” especially with the U.S. co-hosting the 2026 World Cup. While acknowledging FIFA must maintain working relations with governments, FairSquare says Infantino crossed the line into political advocacy.
FIFA declined to comment on the complaint and has yet to respond to earlier inquiries from Human Rights Watch demanding transparency around the Peace Prize’s creation.
Meanwhile, Trump has celebrated the award as “one of the great honours of my life,” claiming it recognises actions that “saved millions of lives.”
With the World Cup months away and Infantino facing allegations that strike at the core of FIFA’s neutrality, pressure is mounting on the organisation’s Independent Ethics Committee — which now holds the credibility of the world’s most powerful sports body in its hands.
Whether the committee acts decisively or closes rank will shape not just Infantino’s legacy, but the future of football governance.
Photo Credit: NYTimes
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