Norway backs ethics complaint against Infantino over FIFA neutrality

The Norwegian Football Federation has confirmed it has submitted a letter supporting an ethics complaint against FIFA president Gianni Infantino, intensifying scrutiny of FIFA governance on the eve of the 2026 World Cup.The complaint targets what Norway describes as a breach of FIFA’s political neutrality obligations, after Infantino presented the inaugural FIFA peace prize to US President Donald Trump during the 2026 World Cup draw in December.The intervention matters commercially and strategically because it adds reputational and stakeholder risk to FIFA’s tournament cycle at a moment when sponsors, broadcasters and host city partners want predictability and institutional stability.Norway’s football president Lise Klaveness said: “The issue is that FIFA, through its president, has violated rules regarding political neutrality by awarding this peace prize. We are asking the Ethics Committee to review this.”The original complaint was filed with FIFA’s ethics bodies by human rights organisation FairSquare, and Norway’s federation has now chosen to put its name behind the request for an investigation.Klaveness said the federation’s backing has created political friction inside FIFA, while describing internal discussions as constructive.Norway’s move is also a signal to other associations. It indicates at least one UEFA member is willing to escalate governance disagreements beyond congress speeches and into formal accountability processes.The complaint’s focus on neutrality connects to a broader tension in international football between commercial growth and political proximity, particularly in a cycle where FIFA relies on state-level coordination for hosting, security, visas and major infrastructure delivery.Any ethics review is also relevant for FIFA’s internal decision-making credibility. Even without immediate sanctions, a live investigation can shape how member associations and partners view FIFA’s leadership choices and governance controls.FIFA has not publicly detailed any timeline for the ethics process tied to the complaint, and it has not set out whether the peace prize will continue as an initiative beyond this tournament cycle.The next steps are FIFA’s ethics bodies deciding whether to open a formal investigation, and Norway continuing to press the political neutrality issue within FIFA governance forums during and after the 2026 World Cup.