FIFA’s relationship with US president Donald Trump and members of his administration is now under congressional scrutiny, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino being called to appear before Congress.
The US House Judiciary Committee has asked Infantino to respond to claims of what it describes as “FIFA’s sustained campaign to secure special favors from President Trump, including the dismissal of high-profile corruption cases involving hundreds of millions of dollars tied to FIFA, all while American consumers were gouged by exorbitant World Cup ticket prices”. The request, sent by ranking Democrat Jamie Raskin, also seeks documents, communications, and records of any gifts, payments, benefits or other exchanges involving Trump, his associates, and the Trump Organization, along with visitor logs for FIFA’s office space in Trump Tower. The committee has asked for the material to be provided by August 9 and wants Infantino to sit for a transcribed interview.
Criticism of FIFA and Infantino had already been building before and during the World Cup after the organization presented Trump with the World Cup Peace Prize, an honor intended to recognize notable efforts toward peace and unity.
Attention then turned to Trump’s role in the controversy surrounding United States forward Folarin Balogun, whose one-match suspension following a red card was lifted. Trump later acknowledged that he had spoken with Infantino about the issue, while FIFA defended the decision as part of its disciplinary process.
The committee’s concerns also extend to FIFA’s office arrangements in New York. In a letter from Democrat Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, reference was made to FIFA leasing space in Trump Tower after the governing body announced in July 2025 that it had opened an office there. FIFA has said its New York presence is part of its broader US footprint ahead of the World Cup, alongside its Miami office.
Congress has now opened an investigation, citing what it calls “mounting evidence of potential corruption and a possible quid pro quo between FIFA and the Trump Administration,” and has asked for relevant documents and information to be handed over by 10pm BST on August 9.
Infantino has separately faced criticism over a recent Instagram statement made up of 15 slides, in which he accused detractors of spreading “hate and false rumors” about the World Cup. The post came after FIFA’s World Cup concluded and after the organization faced sustained criticism over ticket prices, refereeing decisions, political influence and the close public relationship between Infantino and Trump.
In part of the statement, he penned: “To those behind their pens and papers, behind their screens, spreading hate and false rumors, I want to say that while you are sitting behind, we at FIFA are on the front lines, organizing, working hard, and delivering the best show in the world.”
Later in the post, he said FIFA “couldn’t be more proud or emotional witnessing moments of love, joy, and unity”.
“To those spending their time and energy hating us, please take a moment to reflect, meditate, pray, or watch a football match and truly observe the faces, the eyes, the emotion,” the statement continued.
Appearing to reference the debate over Balogun, he added: “Indeed, ‘arguable referees’ decisions or ‘strange’ disciplinary rulings such as potentially mistaken red or yellow cards or subsequent decisions not to ban players in certain situations are routine and widely accepted in some of the biggest leagues worldwide.
“It’s curious that the same countries employing these practises are the ones criticising. This FIFA World Cup celebrated humanity at its best.”
Although comments were disabled on the Instagram post, the message still drew criticism elsewhere online, including on X.
Among those to respond was La Liga president Javier Tebas, who described the post as “a pathetic message”.
“When a leader dedicates an entire message to disqualifying those who exercise legitimate scrutiny, it’s inevitable to wonder… why precisely now? Is there something that explains such a defensive tone? Is something happening that we don’t know about?” he questioned.
The scrutiny comes at a politically sensitive moment for FIFA, with the next World Cup cycle already underway and FIFA’s US operations expanding. Trump and Infantino were also seen together at major tournament events, including the World Cup final, which has added to questions from critics about how close FIFA has become to the Trump White House.