Ex-FIFA exec accuses President Gianni Infantino of violating political neutrality rule by praising Trump

President Trump jokes with the FIFA president over the way he highlights the USA hosting the 2026 World Cup.

Miguel Maduro, the former chairman of FIFA’s governance committee, suggested current FIFA President Gianni Infantino violated the governing body's bylaws by recently expressing support for President Donald Trump.

Maduro told The Athletic he believes Infantino violated FIFA's rules regarding political neutrality with recent comments made about Trump at the American Business Forum in Miami Wednesday, when Infantino said, "I think we should all support what he’s doing because I think it’s looking pretty good."

"The final part of his statement does more than recognize the legitimacy of President Trump. It endorses his political program and actions and argues others should support them too. He is taking a position in what is an internal political debate in the U.S," Maduro said.

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President Donald Trump speaks alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino after unveiling the 2025 Club World Cup trophy in the Oval Office at the White House March 7, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

"While he can recognize the legitimacy of President Trump, he should also recognize that, in a democracy, others can oppose his policies. To remain politically neutral requires not to take a position on that political debate, much less to argue that all should support President Trump’s policies. To do so appears a clear violation of the duty of political neutrality imposed on any FIFA official by Article 15 of its Code of Ethics."

The official FIFA Code of Ethics states the following about political neutrality:

"In dealings with government institutions, national and