A complaint has been filed with FIFA’s Ethics Committee accusing Gianni Infantino of violating FIFA’s political neutrality in relation to his public comments about President Donald Trump, and it also calls for an inquiry into the process that led to awarding Trump FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize. The submission comes from FairSquare, a nonprofit focused on labor migration rights, political repression, and sport governance, which advocates for more democratic practices to prevent sports institutions from causing harm.
An eight-page letter, reviewed by The Athletic, was delivered to FIFA’s Ethics Committee and its communications team on Monday. FIFA’s Independent Ethics Committee is responsible for investigating possible breaches of the FIFA Code of Ethics and operates with an investigatory chamber and an adjudicatory chamber. The nine-member investigatory panel includes representatives from Rwanda, China, Canada, Malaysia, Greece, Kenya, Argentina, Vanuatu, and Panama, and is chaired by Martin Ngoga, Rwanda’s permanent representative to the United Nations. Sanctions for violations can include warnings, reprimands, fines, mandatory compliance training, or bans from football activities.
FairSquare’s complaint lists four alleged breaches of Infantino’s duty to neutrality under Article 15 of FIFA’s Code of Ethics, all tied to Infantino’s public support for Trump. It also requests an investigation into how the FIFA Peace Prize was created and awarded, and whether the decision followed FIFA’s procedural rules. The prize was presented to Trump during World Cup draw activities in Washington, D.C., where Infantino handed him a large trophy, medal, and certificate.
FIFA did not comment on the matter.
The complaint argues Infantino has committed four clear breaches of neutrality. FIFA’s statutes state that FIFA remains neutral on political and religious matters, and the Code of Ethics requires bound individuals to stay politically neutral when engaging with government bodies.
The first alleged breach concerns Infantino’s public support for awarding Trump the Nobel Peace Prize earlier in 2025. Infantino, praising Trump’s role in an Israel-Gaza ceasefire on October 9, wrote on Instagram, “President Donald J. Trump definitely deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his decisive actions.” FairSquare contends this was a personal endorsement of Trump’s intervention in a contentious political matter, noting that the Nobel Prize ultimately went to Maria Corina Machado of Venezuela.
A second alleged breach centers on a November 5 appearance at the America Business Forum in Miami, where Infantino publicly defended Trump’s presidency during a session also attended by Trump. FairSquare maintains Infantino’s remarks signaled a clear political stance, suggesting they encouraged support for Trump’s political agenda and reflected personal approval of it, even though Infantino spoke in his capacity as FIFA president.
FairSquare emphasizes that these statements were made at a public event in Infantino’s official role, not in a private capacity.
A third breach concerns a World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center, where the prize was announced and Infantino lauded Trump on stage, presenting him with remarks that highlighted Trump’s leadership and the possibility of future cooperation. The complaint argues this amounted to a personal endorsement of Trump’s foreign policy and ongoing conflicts, contravening FIFA’s neutrality duties.
The fourth breach references a January 20, 2025 Instagram video in which Infantino thanked Trump for inviting him to a pre-inauguration rally and closed with a line that mirrored Trump’s “Make America Great Again” messaging. FairSquare asserts this echoed MAGA rhetoric and compromised neutrality by aligning with a political campaign.
FairSquare acknowledges FIFA’s need to interact with the U.S. government given the World Cup context. Nonetheless, it argues Infantino’s engagement with Trump must adhere to neutrality principles and avoid taking sides on U.S. domestic or foreign policy unless issues touch FIFA’s own legal or human rights responsibilities. By showing overt support for Trump’s political agenda, the submission contends Infantino breached neutrality and risked FIFA’s integrity.
The final part of the filing requests an Ethics Committee probe into how the FIFA Peace Prize was conceived and awarded. It cites reporting suggesting that neither the FIFA Council nor its vice presidents were consulted about the prize or its criteria before the December 5 announcement. The complaint asserts that awarding a prize to a sitting political leader itself violates FIFA’s neutrality duties and points to Article 34 of FIFA’s statutes, which vests the Council with defining FIFA’s mission and policies.
Earlier, Human Rights Watch had sent a letter requesting details on the process and criteria for the Peace Prize. HRW did not receive a response, and its director of global initiatives criticized the prize as lacking clear nominees, criteria, judges, or process.
Trump accepted the prize, saying it was among the greatest honors of his life and suggesting his broader actions had saved lives, which the filing views as further evidence of political bias affecting FIFA’s neutrality.
