FIFA Ethics Complaint Over Trump Peace Prize

Fifty European Parliament members sent a letter to FIFA urging the governing body to address a formal ethics complaint filed by the advocacy group FairSquare. The complaint alleges that President Gianni Infantino breached FIFA’s duty of political neutrality by creating and awarding the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to U.S. President Donald Trump during the World Cup draw in December 2025.

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FairSquare, which focuses on global labour migration rights, political repression and sport, identified four alleged breaches of article 15 of FIFA’s Code of Ethics. The Ethics Committee’s investigatory chamber, chaired by Rwandan Martin Ngoga, comprises nine members from Rwanda, China, Canada, Malaysia, Greece, Kenya, Argentina, Vanuatu and Panama. The MEP letter was co-authored by Irish MEP Barry Andrews, Dutch MEP Lara Wolters and Danish MEP Niels Fuglsang and signed by representatives from Republic of Ireland, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Denmark, Slovakia and the Netherlands.

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The letter was addressed to Infantino, the FIFA Council, General Secretary Mattias Grafström and the investigatory chamber, requesting a transparent review of the prize’s creation. Norwegian Football Association president Lise Klaveness said the matter should be assessed for a possible breach of political neutrality. FIFA and the White House were contacted for comment, but no response appears in the available reports.

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FairSquare argues that Infantino’s public endorsements of Trump—on Instagram, at the America Business Forum and during the World Cup draw—constitute personal support for the president’s domestic and foreign policies, violating FIFA’s neutrality clause. The complaint also notes that the FIFA Council and vice-presidents were not consulted before the Peace Prize was created, contrary to Article 34 of the statutes, which assigns such decisions to the Council.

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The sources do not confirm whether the Ethics Committee has opened a formal investigation, nor do they provide details of internal deliberations that led to the prize’s inception. No official statements from FIFA or the White House are included, leaving the procedural transparency of the award unclear.

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• “It should also be assessed if it’s a breach of the political neutrality. That will be up to the ethical committee to assess.” — Lise Klaveness, Norwegian Football Association president

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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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• “Together we will make not only America great again but also the entire world.” — 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 investigatory chamber may open a formal case to examine the four alleged breaches and the prize’s procedural compliance. Sanctions under FIFA’s code range from warnings to bans on football-related activity. The outcome could shape FIFA’s governance standards and its future engagement with political leaders.

New York Times