A global advocacy group has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA’s Ethics Committee, accusing President Gianni Infantino of abandoning the organization’s political neutrality during last week’s 2026 World Cup draw, The Athletic reported Tuesday.
The complaint centers on Infantino’s glowing praise of U.S. President Donald Trump and FIFA’s unprecedented decision to award Trump its first-ever FIFA Peace Prize.
FIFA – which will stage the 2026 World Cup across the United States, Mexico and Canada – has long touted its stance of remaining “neutral in matters of politics and religion.”
The nonprofit group FairSquare, which filed the complaint in an eight-page letter, says it is dedicated to accountability in sports regarding labor migration and political repression.
It wants FIFA’s independent committee to review the actions on display during Friday’s World Cup draw that selected the spots for the 48 teams participating in next summer’s tournament.
Trump attended the ceremony alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. But Trump received the most attention during the event at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
FIFA announced the creation of its peace prize last month “to reward individuals who have taken exceptional and extraordinary actions for peace and by doing so have united people across the world.”
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 played a video highlighting some of Trump’s efforts toward peace.
“He supported efforts to broker ceasefires and promote diplomatic engagement, actions that helped create conditions in which peace could take root,” the video said.
In the complaint, FairSquare cited FIFA’s own standards on neutrality to “remain politically neutral ... in dealings with government institutions.”
The group also pointed to Infantino lobbying on social media earlier this year for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his handling of the Gaza conflict.
Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado ultimately received the Nobel Peace Prize.
The letter alleges multiple breaches of ethics and violations of neutrality.
Disciplinary action from the FIFA Ethics Committee can include a warning, a reprimand or a fine. Compliance training can be ordered, and a ban also can be imposed on participation in soccer-related activities.
