The letter, dated 29 June and released by the campaign group FairSquare, marks the most significant political intervention in FIFA’s governance since the European Parliament demanded Sepp Blatter’s resignation in 2015. Fifty MEPs from 13 countries, predominantly Social Democrats, Liberals and Greens, urged FIFA’s ethics committee to investigate whether Gianni Infantino acted unilaterally in creating and bestowing the “FIFA Peace Prize” on Donald Trump last November. The signatories, led by Barry Andrews (Ireland), Lara Wolters (Netherlands), Niels Fuglsang (Denmark) and Sebastian Everding (Germany), framed the move as a test of the governing body’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

The complaint, first lodged by FairSquare in December, centres on Article 15 of FIFA’s code of ethics, which requires the president to remain politically neutral. The British-based human rights organisation argues that Infantino’s public endorsement of Trump’s domestic agenda and his call for the US president to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, followed by the creation of an unprecedented FIFA award with no published criteria, constitute a breach of that duty. Norway’s football federation is the only one of FIFA’s 211 member associations to have publicly supported the call for an investigation, writing to the governing body in June.

The MEPs’ letter also criticised FIFA’s deepening ties with Saudi Arabia, which is set to host the 2034 World Cup, and a recent sponsorship deal with the state oil company Aramco, described by the parliamentarians as “the world’s biggest corporate polluter”. Viewed from Brussels, the intervention is a direct challenge to Infantino’s stewardship at a moment when the 2026 World Cup is under way across North America. Italian media, meanwhile, have highlighted the contrast between the lavish praise heaped on Trump and the silence over the case of Somali referee Omar Artan, who was denied entry to the United States for the tournament. Commentators in Rome note that Infantino’s response to questions about Artan was a dismissive “chill and relax”, a remark that has fuelled perceptions of a leadership more attentive to political patrons than to the sport’s own officials.

FIFA has not responded to the MEPs’ letter nor to FairSquare’s original complaint. The ethics committee, which operates independently, has given no indication of whether it will open a formal investigation. With the World Cup reaching its knockout stages, the pressure from European legislators adds a fresh layer of scrutiny to an organisation that has long promised reform. The next concrete step lies with the committee’s decision on whether to examine the circumstances surrounding the prize—a ruling that will be watched closely by member federations and sponsors alike.