FIFA President Infantino Faces Investigation Over Political Neutrality
GENEVA – Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, is set to be investigated by Olympic ethics officials for potential breaches of political neutrality. This comes after statements from human rights organizations on Wednesday, linking the interference by U.S. President Donald Trump to the continued participation of players in the World Cup.
On Monday, President Trump praised FIFA’s unusual ruling that allowed U.S. forward Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium, even after he had received a red card in a prior match. Following this upheaval, Belgium triumphed with a score of 4-1 in Seattle, a game rattled by the controversial decision.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC), which emphasizes neutrality in its principles for sports organizations like FIFA, has authority over Infantino since he joined an exclusive group of more than 100 invited members in 2020.
Fairsquare, a London-based organization focused on sports and human rights, announced it would file a complaint with the IOC regarding Infantino’s alleged breaches of political neutrality rules. This disclosure arrived just a day after IOC President Kirsty Coventry informed the media that they had yet to receive any such complaints.
When asked about the unfolding controversy surrounding Balogun, which became complicated by Trump’s pressures on FIFA and Infantino, Coventry stated in an online briefing, “Obviously, if that’s the case, we’ll look at it.” Earlier, she acknowledged that the IOC was aware of the developments regarding potential interference in competition regulations by the World Cup co-hosts, who are also set to host the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
FIFA has been approached for comments regarding the complaint directed at Infantino.
Infantino and Trump’s Connection
Infantino has maintained a close relationship with Trump since 2018 when the U.S., Canada, and Mexico secured the hosting rights for this year’s World Cup. FIFA representatives have frequently visited the White House since attending Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025, and in November remarked that the president’s contributions were “so great” that “we should all support them.”
Infantino is also noted for establishing the FIFA Peace Prize, awarded to Trump at a World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., last December. Sources within the soccer executive community suggest that the rapid creation of the Peace Prize stemmed from a business strategy by Infantino.
Ongoing Ethical Concerns at FIFA
In December, Fair Square filed a formal grievance with the FIFA Ethics Committee, highlighting Infantino’s political neutrality issues, which has garnered backing from the Norwegian Football Federation and approximately 50 members of the European Parliament.
To date, FIFA has not offered any updates regarding the situation since the complaint was filed seven months ago.
