Criticism within European football circles of FIFA has intensified after the president of the Norwegian Football Association, Liz Klavenes, called for the cancellation of the ‘Peace Prize’ introduced by FIFA, which was awarded to US President Donald Trump, arguing that the move constitutes a clear breach of the principle of political neutrality.

Klavénes, who also sits on the Executive Committee of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), confirmed that she would raise this issue during the FIFA Congress, stressing the need for world football’s governing body to maintain a “distance” from political leaders.

FIFA ethics complaint and mounting pressure

In a notable escalation, Klavenis announced her support for an ethics complaint filed against FIFA President Gianni Infantino, over his role in awarding the trophy, amid accusations of breaching neutrality rules.

According to The Athletic, the complaint — filed by the human rights organisation Fair Square — alleges that Infantino politically promoted a public figure whilst in office, as well as awarding a politically charged prize without a clear institutional process and bypassing official structures within FIFA, including the Congress.

These findings suggest a possible breach of FIFA’s Code of Ethics, which requires its officials to maintain complete neutrality regarding political matters.

In November, FIFA announced the creation of a “Peace Prize” with the aim — according to its statement — of “honouring individuals who have performed exceptional acts to promote peace and unite peoples around the world”, without obtaining prior approval from the FIFA Council.

On 6 December, during the World Cup draw ceremony held in Washington DC, Infantino presented the award to Trump, in a move that sparked widespread controversy within sporting and political circles.

Fears of the politicisation of the game

Klavinis believes that introducing politically charged awards into the global football system threatens the independence of the game, stressing that such initiatives must be carried out within clear institutional frameworks and free from personalisation or political agendas.

She also stressed that FIFA’s credibility is linked to the extent of its commitment to the principles of transparency and governance, particularly in light of increasing international scrutiny of its decisions.

This crisis comes within a broader context of criticism directed at Infantino’s administration, which faces repeated accusations of closeness to political figures, raising questions about the international federation’s impartiality.

This issue is becoming increasingly sensitive as the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico approaches, placing the relationship between politics and football under the microscope.

Featured image via UEFA

By Alaa Shamali

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