Key facts
- Fifty European Parliament members are demanding an investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
- The investigation is requested over alleged violations of FIFA's political neutrality rules.
- The complaint centers on the creation of an annual FIFA Peace Prize and its award to U.S. President Donald Trump.
- Human rights NGO FairSquare filed the initial ethics complaint.
- MEPs argue Infantino's public statements in favor of Trump breach FIFA's statute.
Fifty members of the European Parliament are calling for an investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino, citing alleged breaches of the football federation's political neutrality rules. The lawmakers have expressed support for an ethics complaint filed by the human rights NGO FairSquare concerning the introduction of an annual FIFA Peace Prize and its award to U.S. President Donald Trump.
In a letter obtained by POLITICO, the MEPs argue that Infantino's public statements favoring Trump violate FIFA's statute, which mandates political neutrality. Renew MEP Barry Andrews stated that when FIFA's president favors one president over another, it brings the organization and the World Cup into disrepute. The letter emphasizes that with global attention on FIFA, the organization must address the ethics complaint to demonstrate its commitment to neutrality, transparency, and accountability.
President Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize from Infantino on December 5, 2025. FairSquare filed its complaint three days later, with critics suggesting the award was an attempt by Infantino to gain favor with the U.S. president, as the FIFA Council was not informed of the prize's creation beforehand. FIFA has acknowledged receipt of the complaint but has not yet responded to the MEPs' letter, nor did it immediately respond to POLITICO's request for comment.