FIFA President Gianni Infantino has sparked fresh controversy after awarding Donald Trump a hastily created “FIFA Peace Prize” at the 2026 World Cup draw in Washington, D.C., prompting formal ethics complaints against the soccer chief for alleged political bias.
The move has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations, with London-based nonprofit FairSquare filing an eight-page complaint to FIFA’s ethics investigators. “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 group stated in their filing.
What exactly is the FIFA Peace Prize? That’s the problem — nobody seems to know. The organization has provided no clarity on how or when the award was created, with news of its existence coming primarily through media reports of the ceremony itself. The lack of transparency has only fueled questions about Infantino’s motives.
Political Entanglements
FairSquare’s complaint doesn’t mince words about Infantino’s actions. “If Mr. Infantino acted unilaterally and without any statutory authority this should be considered an egregious abuse of power,” the organization declared, questioning whether FIFA’s president overstepped his authority in creating the award.
The timing couldn’t be more sensitive. The 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is projected to generate more than $10 billion for FIFA, making Infantino’s political alignments particularly noteworthy as preparations for the tournament continue.
This isn’t the first time Infantino has shown support for Trump. Earlier this year, he publicly endorsed Trump’s policies and even suggested the former president deserved the Nobel Peace Prize — an award Trump has not received.
The prize presentation created an awkward political backdrop for what should have been a purely sporting event. Political leaders from the World Cup host nations joined Infantino on stage for the tournament draw, which took place after Trump received the controversial honor.
Ethics Questions
FIFA’s ethics code explicitly prohibits violations of political neutrality, with potential sanctions that could reach up to two years. But there’s considerable uncertainty about whether the complaints will gain traction.
Critics have questioned the independence of FIFA’s ethics investigators, suggesting they don’t operate with the same autonomy as during the Sepp Blatter era. This perception creates doubt about whether Infantino will face meaningful scrutiny.
FairSquare has a track record of challenging FIFA on governance and human rights issues. The organization has previously criticized FIFA’s human rights record in Saudi Arabia, questioned the influence of Saudi oil company Aramco as a major World Cup sponsor, and highlighted FIFA’s slow investigation into Israeli settlement teams.
The controversy underscores the delicate balance FIFA must maintain between global diplomacy and political neutrality. With billions at stake in the upcoming North American World Cup, Infantino’s coziness with Trump has raised eyebrows about whether soccer’s governing body is maintaining its independence from political influence.
“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 wrote, highlighting what many see as an uncomfortable blurring of lines between the world’s most popular sport and partisan politics.
