Rights Group Says Trump’s FIFA Peace Prize Violated Political Neutrality
Sports Desk
Published: 10 December 2025, 07:44 pm
Human rights organisation FairSquare has lodged a formal complaint with FIFA’s ethics committee, alleging that FIFA President Gianni Infantino violated the body’s strict neutrality rules by publicly backing former US President Donald Trump.
The complaint centres on Infantino’s decision to award Trump FIFA’s first-ever Peace Prize during the World Cup 2026 draw held on December 6. The tournament is set to take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico next June and July.
FairSquare sharply criticised FIFA’s governance system, calling it “absurd,” and argued that the organisation’s conduct contradicts the collective interests of the global football community. The group submitted the complaint on Monday.
“This complaint is about far more than Infantino’s support for President Donald Trump’s political agenda,” said Nicholas McGeehan, FairSquare’s programme director. “More broadly, it highlights how FIFA’s dysfunctional governance structure has allowed Infantino to openly disregard its rules and act in ways that are dangerous and directly counter to the interests of the world’s most popular sport.”
According to FairSquare, presenting an award of this nature to a sitting political leader constitutes a “clear breach” of Article 15 of FIFA’s Code of Ethics, which requires political neutrality at all times. The group has urged the ethics committee to not only examine the decision to honour Trump but also investigate the processes that led to the establishment of the FIFA Peace Prize itself.
The complaint further points to Infantino’s public appeal in October for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, as well as at least three other occasions on which the Swiss FIFA president made statements favourable to Trump’s political activities.
When contacted by AFP, FIFA acknowledged receiving the complaint but declined to offer further comment.
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