FIFA boss referred to Olympics ethics board over Trump World Cup call

FIFA president Gianni Infantino referred to Olympics ethics investigators over Donald Trump's World Cup intervention

FIFA president Gianni Infantino's (right) relationship with Donald Trump has put him in hot water during the World Cup. (Getty Images: Tasos Katopodis)

A complaint has been lodged with the International Olympic Committee over FIFA president Gianni Infantino's "breach of political neutrality rules".

FairSquare, a London-based sports and human rights NGO, is making the complaint.

It comes after FIFA's decision to allow US striker Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium, despite receiving a red card in his previous match, after a plea by US President Donald Trump.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is being referred to Olympics ethics investigators for a possible breach of political neutrality after US President Donald Trump helped block a World Cup player's ban.

Trump took credit for FIFA's decision — unprecedented in modern World Cup history — to let United States forward Folarin Balogun play against Belgium, despite getting a red card in the team's previous game. A Belgium team clearly fired up by the furore won 4-1 in Seattle and eliminated USA from the tournament.

The IOC cites neutrality among "fundamental principles of Olympism" for sports bodies like FIFA, and has jurisdiction over Infantino since he joined its exclusive group of 100-plus invited members in 2020.

"FairSquare will file a complaint to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) regarding FIFA President Gianni Infantino's repeated breach of political neutrality rules," the London-based sports and human rights NGO said in a statement.

The pledge to file a formal complaint to the IOC Ethics Commission came one day after the Olympic body's president, Kirsty Coventry, told reporters none had been received.

"Obviously, if they do, they would look into it," Coventry said on Tuesday in an online news conference when asked about the Balogun controversy fuelled by the Trump administration lobbying FIFA and Infantino.

"Yes, we have been obviously watching everything play out," she said earlier when asked about interference in field-of-play issues by the World Cup co-host nation, which will also stage the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

FIFA was asked to comment about the complaint.

Infantino has built close ties to Trump since 2018 when the US, Canada and Mexico won a vote to host the 2026 World Cup.

The FIFA leader has been a regular White House visitor since attending the second Trump inauguration in January 2025 and said in November "we should all support" the president's work as it was "pretty good".

Infantino famously created the FIFA Peace Prize given to Trump at the World Cup tournament draw in Washington DC in December. Senior soccer officials said privately that creating the peace award was an executive decision by Infantino.

FairSquare also formally filed a complaint to FIFA's ethics committee in December about Infantino and political neutrality. That is being supported by the Norway soccer federation and about 50 members of the European Parliament.

FIFA has provided no update on that case in the seven months since.