A global advocacy group has filed a formal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The complaint was sent to FIFA’s Ethics Committee. The Athletic reported the news on Tuesday (December 9, 2025).
The complaint raises concerns about Infantino’s lack of political neutrality. It also questions the political tone of last week’s 2026 World Cup draw. The main issue is Infantino’s public praise of United States President Donald Trump.
Complaint Linked to Trump Praise and 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw
The complaint was filed by the non-profit group FairSquare. The group works on accountability in sports. It focuses on labour issues and political repression. FairSquare submitted an eight-page letter to FIFA’s independent ethics body. It asked for a full review of the actions seen during the World Cup draw ceremony.
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. FIFA has often stated that it is “neutral in matters of politics and religion.”
President Trump attended the draw ceremony. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney were also present. The event took place at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. However, Trump received the most attention.
Last month, FIFA announced the creation of its first-ever peace prize. The prize was made “to reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.”
During the ceremony, Infantino presented Trump with a gold trophy, a gold medal, and a certificate. “This is your prize, this is your peace prize,” Infantino told Trump. FIFA also played a video highlighting Trump’s peace-related efforts. “He supported efforts to broker ceasefires and promote diplomatic engagement, actions that helped create conditions in which peace could take root,” FIFA said in the video.
FairSquare said these actions go against FIFA’s own rules. The group quoted FIFA’s standard to “remain politically neutral … in dealings with government institutions.” It also pointed to Infantino’s past social media posts where he supported Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize over the Israel-Gaza conflict. The prize later went to Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado.
The complaint calls these actions breaches of ethics and neutrality. FIFA’s Ethics Committee can issue warnings, reprimands, fines, or even suspend officials from football activity.
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