More than 100,000 people back complaint against FIFA boss Gianni Infantino
By Joel Masibo, September 9, 2026More than 100,000 people have now signed a complaint targeting FIFA president Gianni Infantino, with campaigners accusing him of misusing his position and failing to maintain the political independence expected of football’s governing body.
The complaint focuses particularly on Infantino’s relationship with US president Donald Trump, while also raising concerns about several other controversial decisions and initiatives involving FIFA.
The Reboot FIFA campaign was established ahead of the World Cup with the objective of producing “the biggest complaint Fifa has ever received” concerning what it describes as serious problems within FIFA’s governance. Its allegations have subsequently expanded to cover the decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s suspension during the tournament and the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) project.
The latest complaint was formally lodged with FIFA’s ethics committee on Tuesday, September 8, 2026. Fair Square, an advocacy organisation supporting the Reboot FIFA campaign, has urged the committee to investigate the allegations and take appropriate action.
An earlier complaint submitted in December last year received no response from the ethics committee. Since then, however, the campaign has attracted significant support, including backing from the Norwegian Football Federation and 50 members of the European Parliament.
In a letter accompanying the new complaint, Fair Square highlighted the significance of the public support behind the campaign.
“The fact that 100,000 individuals added their names to this call for accountability is clear evidence of mounting public concern,” the Fair Square letter said. “As the independent judicial body tasked with the critical task of upholding the ‘integrity and reputation of football’, the ethics committee must not only act, it must be seen to act with appropriate haste, transparency and rigour.”
The campaign identifies eight separate incidents that it believes justify an investigation into Infantino’s conduct. Fair Square argues that the incidents “provide compelling evidence that the Fifa president has, at a minimum, abused his power, violated his duty of political neutrality, and violated his duty of loyalty in his efforts to ingratiate himself with the US president.”
Among the matters highlighted is the Balogun case. Trump previously acknowledged that he had asked FIFA to reconsider the red card given to the US international, after which the player’s suspension was overturned.
The complaint also points to the FFE controversy, FIFA’s decision to award Trump its peace prize and Infantino’s participation in Trump’s Board of Peace initiative concerning the Middle East.
Campaigners have additionally questioned Infantino’s pledge to cooperate with Trump in an effort to “make not only America great again but also the entire world”, arguing that such comments raise questions about FIFA’s obligation to remain politically neutral.
FIFA has rejected the broader criticism surrounding Infantino. Asked for a response to the complaint, the organisation referred to a statement issued approximately a month earlier.
“It is increasingly evident that there is a concerted and ongoing effort by some to undermine Fifa and its president,” the statement said.
“Those who do not have the support of Fifa’s member associations should not seek to achieve through allegation, insinuation or misinformation what they cannot achieve through Fifa’s established democratic processes.”
The controversy comes as Infantino prepares to seek another term as FIFA president. FIFA confirmed on Sunday that he intends to contest next year’s election, which would give him a fourth and final term.
His planned re-election bid comes amid growing opposition from several parts of the football world. UEFA has called for him to leave his position, while there has also been criticism from within the Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf.
UEFA has also announced plans to pursue criminal complaints in the United States over the FFE project, adding another layer of pressure on Infantino and FIFA’s leadership.