Key facts
- Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have requested Fifa President Gianni Infantino appear before them.
- The inquiry focuses on potential corruption and Fifa's efforts to gain favor with President Trump's administration.
- Fifa is being asked to preserve communications and provide visitor logs related to Trump and his associates.
- The request stems from scrutiny over recent Fifa tournaments held in the US and Infantino's close association with Trump.
- A White House spokesperson dismissed the probe, defending Trump's role in the World Cup's success.
Democrats on the US House Judiciary Committee have initiated a bid to question Fifa President Gianni Infantino regarding potential corruption and the organization's relationship with President Trump's administration. Representative Jamie Raskin has written to Infantino requesting his appearance before the committee to discuss "Fifa’s brazen campaign to curry favor with Donald Trump."
Raskin has also demanded Fifa preserve all communications between its personnel and Trump, provide visitor logs for its New York and Miami offices, and disclose any gifts given to Trump or his associates. The inquiry follows scrutiny of Fifa's recent major tournaments, the World Cup and Club World Cup, which were largely held in the US and marked by Trump's presence alongside Infantino.
Infantino recently criticized World Cup critics, referencing alleged Trump intervention in suspending a ban for USA player Folarin Balogun. Raskin's letter also questioned Fifa's leasing of office space in Trump Tower and the creation of the "hilariously fake ‘Fifa Peace Prize’" awarded to Trump, suggesting these actions were designed to influence decisions in Fifa's favor.
A White House spokesperson dismissed Raskin's inquiry, calling him "lightweight" and the idea "a stupid person’s idea of a smart person." The spokesperson defended Trump's role in the 2026 Fifa World Cup, attributing its success to his "bold vision and decisive leadership" and generating billions in revenue.
Infantino had previously been cleared of an investigation by the International Olympic Committee concerning alleged breaches of political impartiality. Following Infantino's recent remarks, LaLiga president Javier Tebas publicly questioned the timing and defensive tone of Infantino's statements.