The FIFA Peace Prize resurfaced at the 2026 World Cup's close. Donald Trump jointly presented the trophy alongside Gianni Infantino on 19 July, remaining on the podium as Spain's players tried to lift it before Infantino moved him aside amid booing measured at 84 decibels against roughly 78 ambient, a scene critics linked to the same pattern the prize complaint first alleged . The day before, on 8 July, FairSquare said it would refer Infantino to the International Olympic Committee's Ethics Commission over the prize after seven months of FIFA silence; IOC president Kirsty Coventry said the committee had received no filing as of the previous day .

The prize is an award created by Infantino and given for the first and only time to Trump at the December 2025 World Cup draw. FairSquare filed a complaint with FIFA's Ethics Committee on 8 December 2025, arguing it breached Article 15 of FIFA's Code of Ethics, the duty of political neutrality, by honouring a sitting US president as host-nation co-organiser . Human Rights Watch documented the award in its host-city audit. Six months on, FIFA's ethics committee had not publicly acted, and the Norwegian Football Federation under president Lise Klaveness became the first of FIFA's 211 member federations to formally back the complaint, writing to the Ethics Committee on or before 2 June 2026.

The complaint widened as the tournament ran. On 7 July FairSquare cited the prize again in expanding its case to include FIFA's dismissal of the Royal Belgian Football Association's appeal against Folarin Balogun's reinstatement, arguing both showed the same pattern of political access shaping FIFA decisions, with 50 members of the European Parliament backing the expanded complaint . FairSquare plans a broader 'Reboot FIFA' campaign to resubmit after the tournament, seeking mass signatories . A single ceremonial award has become the reference point for whether FIFA's neutrality rules bind its own president.

Common Questions

Reference

Why did Norway back the FIFA ethics complaint?

Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness backed the FairSquare complaint in June 2026, becoming the first federation head to do so, arguing Infantino's award of a political prize breached FIFA's duty of neutrality.Source: Lowdown

Who filed an ethics complaint against Infantino over the FIFA Peace Prize?

Human-rights group FairSquare filed the complaint with FIFA's Ethics Committee on 8 December 2025, arguing the award breached Article 15 of the Code of Ethics.Source: Lowdown

What is the FIFA Peace Prize and why is it controversial?

The FIFA Peace Prize was created by FIFA and awarded to Donald Trump at the December 2025 World Cup draw. Critics argue it breached Article 15 of FIFA's Code of Ethics, which requires political neutrality, by honouring a sitting US president whose country was co-hosting the tournament.Source: Lowdown

Has the FIFA Peace Prize complaint moved beyond FIFA?

Yes. On 8 July 2026 FairSquare said it would refer the matter to the International Olympic Committee's Ethics Commission, after FIFA's own ethics committee took no public action for seven months.Source: Lowdown

Is the FIFA Peace Prize complaint still being cited?

Yes. On 7 July 2026 FairSquare cited the Peace Prize episode again when expanding its ethics complaint to include FIFA's dismissal of Belgium's appeal against Folarin Balogun's reinstatement, backed by 50 MEPs.Source: Lowdown

Source Material

FairSquare — ethics complaint documentation

How the World Sees Them

FIFA

Has not publicly acted on the complaint; it now sits with the IOC after seven months of FIFA silence.

Norway

First federation to formally back the complaint; acting alone to signal principle without awaiting coalition support.

FairSquare

Filed the complaint, expanded it to cite the Balogun reversal, and referred it to the IOC; plans a post-tournament mass-signatory campaign to resubmit.