Trump's FIFA Peace Prize Sparks Ethics Challenge, Report Says

By Chris Spiker From Daily Voice

A watchdog group is accusing the head of FIFA of violating ethics rules after giving the soccer governing body's first peace prize to President Donald Trump, according to a report.

Global nonprofit FairSquare filed a formal complaint with the FIFA Ethics Committee, The Athletic reported on Tuesday, Dec. 9. The advocacy group's work centers on international labor migration rights, political repression, and sports.

The complaint comes shortly after Trump received the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize during the 2026 World Cup Draw on Friday, Dec. 5. Critics say Infantino created the award to appease Trump after he publicly campaigned for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.

FairSquare said that the FIFA Peace Prize is the latest example of Infantino's "clear breaches" of the organization's political neutrality rules.

"Mr. Infantino’s engagement with President Trump must be underpinned by and in conformity with his duty of neutrality, which requires that he be non-partisan and impartial on matters of US domestic and foreign policy, unless speaking about issues that invoke FIFA's own legal or human rights responsibilities," the eight-page letter read. "In offering clear support for President Trump's political agenda at home and abroad, Mr. Infantino has breached that duty, and done so in a way that poses a clear threat to the integrity and reputation of football and of FIFA itself."

US President Donald Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Draw in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2025.

Wikimedia Commons - The White House

FIFA hasn't responded to The Athletic's request for comment.

The complaint stems from the World Cup draw, which was widely panned by soccer fans because it took about 90 minutes before the selection began for the 48-nation tournament. Along with music performances and other long segments, the draw used overly flattering language about Trump, who has increased his presence with FIFA since returning to the White House.

Many fans expected Trump to get the award when it was first announced in early November.

"You definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way, but you obtained it in an incredible way," Infantino said while presenting the trophy to Trump. "You can always count, Mr. President, on my support, on the support of the entire football community – or soccer community – to help you make peace and make the world prosper."

In his acceptance speech, Trump repeated his false claim of ending "so many different wars."

"This is truly one of the great honors of my life," Trump said. "We saved millions and millions of lives."

FairSquare is asking FIFA to review the prize's creation, with The Athletic saying that the FIFA Council and the organization's vice presidents weren't consulted before it was unveiled. The nonprofit also said that giving an award to a sitting political leader violates FIFA's neutrality rules.

Human Rights Watch has also asked for more transparency regarding the FIFA Peace Prize. Minky Worden, the group's global initiatives director, told The Athletic that the award seemingly had "no nominees, no criteria, no judges, and no process."

FIFA President Gianni Infantino hands the men's World Cup trophy to US President Donald Trump during a White House meeting on August 22, 2025.

Wikimedia Commons - The White House

Before the World Cup draw, Infantino called Trump "a really close friend" and defended his administration's actions at the America Business Forum in Miami.

"I'm a bit surprised sometimes when I read some negative comments [about Trump]," Infantino said on Wednesday, Nov. 5. "I am not American, but as far as I understand, President Trump was elected in the United States of America and was quite clearly elected. When you are in such a great democracy as the United States of America, you should first of all respect the results of the election, right?

"In the end, he was elected based on the programme, based on what he said. He is just implementing what he said he would do, so I think we should all support what he's doing because I think it's looking pretty good."

FairSquare also cited Infantino's lobbying for Trump to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. Right-wing Venezuelan activist María Corina Machado ultimately received the award in October.

Infantino also echoed Trump's "Make America Great Again" campaign slogan in an Instagram video posted on Monday, Jan. 20, thanking Trump for inviting him to a pre-inauguration rally.

"Together, we will make not only America great again, but also the entire world," said Infantino.

US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino on the field during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, on July 13, 2025.

Wikimedia Commons - The White House

Trump and Infantino's relationship has also grown through FIFA's satellite office, which is located inside Trump Tower. Infantino worked at the New York City office while attending events related to the UN General Assembly in September.

Infantino has been a guest several times at the White House in Trump's second term. The two also watched the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup Final together at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, along with meeting at Mar-a-Lago a few days before Trump's inauguration, which Infantino also attended.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will kick off on Thursday, June 11.