FIFA President Gianni Infantino Faces Complaint Over Political Neutrality

An official complaint has been lodged with FIFA’s Ethics Committee against its president, Gianni Infantino, by FairSquare, a non-profit organization advocating for global labor migration rights and political repression issues. The complaint alleges that Infantino has committed “repeated breaches” of FIFA’s duty of political neutrality, particularly in relation to the recent awarding of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to United States President Donald Trump. The complaint requests an investigation into the processes surrounding the award and Infantino's public endorsements of Trump.

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The complaint, detailed in an eight-page letter, outlines four specific breaches of FIFA’s Code of Ethics, which mandates political neutrality in dealings with government institutions. The first breach occurred when Infantino publicly advocated for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, stating on Instagram that Trump “definitely deserves” the award for his role in an Israel-Gaza ceasefire. This endorsement came just before the Nobel Prize announcement, which ultimately recognized Venezuelan Maria Corina Machado instead.

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The second alleged breach took place during an interview at the America Business Forum in Miami, where Infantino defended Trump, stating he considered him “a really close friend.” Infantino expressed surprise at negative comments about Trump and emphasized the importance of respecting the election results in the U.S. FairSquare argues that these comments constituted a clear political endorsement of Trump’s agenda.

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The third breach is linked to the FIFA World Cup draw, where Infantino presented Trump with the FIFA Peace Prize. During this event, Infantino praised Trump’s leadership and foreign policy, stating, “you can always count, Mr. President, on my support.” FairSquare contends that this statement further violated FIFA’s neutrality by endorsing Trump’s foreign policy amidst ongoing global conflicts.

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The final breach cited in the complaint involves a video posted by Infantino thanking Trump for his invitation to a pre-inauguration rally, concluding with a phrase echoing Trump’s campaign slogan, “Together we will make not only America great again but also the entire world.” FairSquare argues that this language reflects a partisan stance contrary to FIFA’s ethical obligations.

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FairSquare’s complaint also calls for an investigation into the internal processes that led to the creation of the FIFA Peace Prize, noting that neither the FIFA Council nor its vice-presidents were consulted prior to the award announcement. Human Rights Watch (HRW) has similarly criticized the legitimacy of the award, highlighting the absence of nominees, criteria, or a transparent selection process.

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Minky Worden, HRW's director of global initiatives, stated that the award lacks legitimacy due to its opaque nature. In response to receiving the Peace Prize, Trump remarked, “This is truly one of the great honors of my life,” while referencing conflicts he claims to have helped resolve.

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• “President Donald J. Trump definitely deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his decisive actions.” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

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• “In the end, he was elected based on the programme, based on what he said.” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

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• “This is what we want from a leader … you definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action for what you have obtained in your way but you obtained it in an incredible way and you can always count, Mr President, on my support.” — Gianni Infantino, FIFA President

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• “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.” — FairSquare Complaint

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The outcome of the complaint and any subsequent investigations by FIFA’s Ethics Committee remain to be seen, as the organization has not yet publicly commented on the allegations.

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