Gianni Infantino accused of breaching FIFA ethics code over Donald Trump relationship

Tom Weber

• 9 Dec 2025 14:28 CST
• 3 min read

News

Advocacy group FairSquare has lodged an official complaint against FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

The non-profit organisation has accused the football supremo of "repeated breaches" of FIFA's Code of Ethics due to his relationship with US president Donald Trump, according to The Athletic.

An eight-page letter has been submitted to FIFA's Ethics Committee, condemning Infantino's championing of Trump and requesting an investigation into the awarding of FIFA's inaugural Peace Prize to the US president.

Martin Ngoga, Rwanda's representative to the United Nations, chairs FIFA's Ethics Committee, which is responsible for investigating alleged breaches of the Code of Ethics.

Infantino is alleged to have violated FIFA's duty of neutrality. The FairSquare letter speaks of "four clear breaches," which are all in relation to Infantino's relationship with and public support of Trump.

Could Infantino be punished for his relationship with Trump?

FairSquare alleges that Infantino has repeatedly and "clearly" made personal endorsements of Trump and his political agenda, which it argues is an indisputable violation of the Code of Ethics.

FairSquare also asserts that the handing out of a "Peace Prize" to a sitting political leader is, in itself, a clear breach of FIFA's duty of neutrality. It is further argued that the FIFA Council, not Infantino, should have been responsible for the creation of the award and the selection criteria.

FIFA's official statutes state that the governing body must maintain political neutrality: "FIFA remains neutral in matters of politics and religion. Exceptions may be made with regard to matters affected by FIFA’s statutory objectives."

The Code of Ethics elaborates: "In dealings with government institutions, national and international organisations, associations and groupings, persons bound by this Code shall... remain politically neutral, in accordance with the principles and objectives of FIFA, the confederations, associations, leagues and clubs, and generally act in a manner compatible with their function and integrity.

"Violation of this article shall be sanctioned with an appropriate fine of at least CHF 10,000 as well as a ban on taking part in any football-related activity for a maximum of two years."

If found guilty, Infantino could therefore be banned for two years. Whether anything will actually come of this, though, is not yet known.

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