FIFA Faces Probe Over Trump Peace Prize Award

FIFA chief Gianni Infantino faces scrutiny for allegedly violating political neutrality rules after awarding Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.

Dec 10, 2025 - 18:10
FIFA Faces Probe Over Trump Peace Prize Award
FIFA Faces Probe Over Trump Peace Prize Award

Fifa president Gianni Infantino is facing calls for an ethics investigation after a human rights group accused him of violating the governing body's strict rules on political neutrality by publicly supporting United States president Donald Trump.

The controversy erupted after Infantino presented Trump with the inaugural Fifa Peace Prize during the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington DC last week. The 79-year-old US leader received a gold trophy, a medal and a certificate, with Infantino praising him as “what we want from a leader” and adding, “You can always count on my support, Mr President.”

Complaint Alleges Four Breaches of Neutrality Rules

FairSquare, a human rights campaign organisation, has submitted a formal complaint to Fifa’s ethics committee, alleging Infantino committed “four clear breaches” of the body’s neutrality rules. BBC Sport has reviewed the letter, which argues that awarding a political leader such a prize inherently violates Fifa’s required impartiality.

“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 letter states. FairSquare adds that the Fifa president does not have unilateral authority to reshape or promote the organisation’s values, mission, or strategic direction.

Fifa has not yet publicly responded to the allegations.

Supportive Public Statements Raise Concerns

Infantino’s interactions with Trump extend beyond the recent ceremony. In October, he posted on Instagram that Trump “definitely deserves” the Nobel Peace Prize. A month later, in an interview at the American Business Forum in Miami, he said people “should all support what [Trump] is doing,” praising the president’s leadership in the US.

FairSquare also cited a January video posted by Infantino following his invitation to Trump’s inauguration, arguing it indicates support for Trump’s political agenda.

Accusations of Governance Failures

Nicholas McGeehan, FairSquare’s programme director, said the complaint is not solely about Infantino’s affinity toward Trump, but about a deeper governance issue within world football’s top authority.

“More broadly, this is about how Fifa’s absurd governance structure has allowed Gianni Infantino to openly flout the organisation's rules and act in ways that are both dangerous and directly contrary to the interests of the world’s most popular sport,” McGeehan said.

Award Ceremony Adds Fuel to Criticism

Infantino and Trump appeared together on stage during the Kennedy Center ceremony, part of the build-up to the 2026 World Cup hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. The event added to existing concerns over whether Fifa’s top official was improperly aligning with a political leader.

The ethics committee will now determine whether to launch a formal investigation into Infantino's conduct — a move that could have significant implications ahead of a landmark World Cup on North American soil.

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