European federations challenge Infantino over Trump-aligned FIFA governance
A growing European backlash against FIFA president Gianni Infantino's political ties to Donald Trump is threatening to fracture the governance of world football's most lucrative institution.
UEFA has publicly condemned FIFA president Gianni Infantino for pursuing "private political interests" that "does the game no service", as European federations rally behind calls for an ethics investigation into his relationship with Donald Trump.
The public rift poses a direct challenge to the leadership of global football’s governing body just as it concludes a commercially successful 2026 World Cup. For investors and corporate sponsors, institutional instability at the top of FIFA raises questions about the governance of a sports enterprise that generates billions in revenue.
Infantino’s attempts to ingratiate himself with the US administration have included creating and awarding a special "peace prize" to Trump. FIFA has also directed funds intended for the global development of the sport toward renting office space in Trump Tower, despite already maintaining a permanent office in Miami.
Those ties have disrupted actual tournament operations. Following Trump's launch of an unlawful war with Iran, Iran's World Cup participation was thrown into months of uncertainty, forcing the team to relocate its base camp to Mexico. Domestically, Trump reportedly threatened to withhold governmental guarantees required to confirm the US bid for the 2031 Women’s World Cup.
The controversy has also bled into sporting integrity. Infantino allowed his relationship with Trump to interfere with a disciplinary review, resulting in the overturned red card suspension of US striker Folarin Balogun. Infantino now plans to have Trump hand out the World Cup trophy on Sunday.
The former chair of FIFA’s governance committee has labelled Infantino’s actions a "clear violation" of FIFA’s code of ethics. The president of the Norwegian Football Federation has called for the abolition of the "peace prize" and backed an ethics investigation, while senior FIFA staff have pushed back internally against his political alignment.
While Infantino retains sizable public backing for his reelection, many FIFA members privately voice frustration over his "level of vanity". Crucially for Europe, UEFA is now reportedly searching for a candidate to challenge him, signaling a potential bid to curb the unilateral power of the FIFA presidency and shift authority toward the Council and Congress.
