European politicians demand FIFA addresses ethics complaint over Trump winning Peace Prize

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7406349/2026/06/29/fifa-trump-peace-prize-letter/


President Donald Trump was awarded the FIFA Peace Prize during the draw for the World Cup in December. Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images

Fifty members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have written to FIFA to demand that the organization address an ethics complaint made against its President Gianni Infantino over his decision to award the U.S. President Donald Trump the FIFA Peace Prize in December 2025. An official complaint was submitted in December to FIFA’s Ethics Committee, alleging “repeated breaches” of FIFA’s duty of political neutrality by Infantino, while also requesting an investigation into the process that saw Trump receive the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize.

The complaint, first reported on by The Athletic, was made by FairSquare, a non-profit organization and advocacy group which focuses mainly on global labour migration rights, political repression and sport. In the sporting realm, the organization says it promotes “better, more democratic governance to prevent sporting institutions contributing to harm and suffering.” The FairSquare complaint has since received support from the Norwegian Football Association, whose president Lise Klaveness criticized the fact that Infantino made the decision to award the prize without consulting the FIFA Council. She added: “It should also be assessed if it’s a breach of the political neutrality. That will be up to the ethical committee to assess.”

Now, 50 MEPs have co-signed a letter urging FIFA to address the complaint filed by FairSquare in December. The letter, seen by The Athletic, was sent to FIFA earlier on Monday and addressed to both Infantino and members of the FIFA Council. A copy of the letter was also sent to FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafstrom and FIFA’s investigatory chamber. They write that they believe that FIFA must address Fairsquare’s ethics complaint and demonstrate that FIFA upholds the “core values of fairness, equality, and respect for human dignity”, while asking for the letter to be shared with all FIFA Council members.


Trump was awarded the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize in December.Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images

The letter includes signatories from MEPs representing Republic of Ireland, Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, Denmark, Slovakia and the Netherlands. The Irish MEP Barry Andrews, the Dutch Lara Wolters and Danish Niels Fuglsang have been among the foremost organizers. FIFA and the White House have been approached for comment. The FairSquare complaint comprised an eight-page letter, reviewed by The Athletic, which was submitted to FIFA’s Ethics Committee. FIFA’s self-titled Independent Ethics Committee is one of its judicial bodies and, according to world soccer’s governing body, it is primarily responsible for investigating possible infringements of the FIFA Code of Ethics.

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