US Lawmaker Seeks FIFA Probe Over Trump Ties, Transparency Concerns
By Staff, Agencies
US House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jamie Raskin has launched an investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino, demanding documents detailing the football governing body’s dealings with US President Donald Trump, his administration and the Trump family business.
In a letter sent Sunday, Raskin requested records of any gifts, payments or benefits provided to Trump and his associates. He also asked FIFA to hand over visitor logs for its office in Trump Tower, which the organization opened after acquiring the space last year, and called on Infantino to appear for a transcribed interview.
The letter gives FIFA until August 9 to produce the requested documents and arrange the interview. Although Raskin cannot compel Infantino to testify without Republican support, the request marks the beginning of a congressional inquiry into FIFA’s relationship with the Trump administration.
Raskin tied the investigation to longstanding concerns over FIFA’s governance, arguing that Infantino had failed to deliver on promises to reform the organization after years of corruption scandals.
“Your election as FIFA president was supposed to mark a red-card break from a decades-long culture of corruption and scandals that dressed down world soccer’s reputation,” Raskin wrote.
Instead, he accused Infantino of dismantling FIFA’s ethical safeguards by removing most members of its ethics committee, saying the lack of transparency and oversight paved the way for what a New York University law professor and a former FIFA ethics committee member described as “legal bribery” in the organization’s relationship with the Trump administration.
The letter also points to the US Department of Justice’s decision to dismiss indictments against defendants in longstanding investigations into corruption in world football, including the 2015 case involving more than 20 senior FIFA officials and sports marketing executives.
Infantino’s close relationship with Trump drew increasing scrutiny before and during this summer’s FIFA World Cup.
At the World Cup draw in Washington last December, Trump was presented with a newly created “FIFA Peace Prize” at the Kennedy Center, where renovations were reportedly accelerated at the administration’s request ahead of the event. FIFA also opened an office in Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan last July.
During the tournament, Trump reportedly called Infantino several times urging FIFA to review US striker Folarin Balogun’s controversial red-card suspension before the Americans’ round-of-16 match against Belgium. FIFA later overturned the suspension, a move that sparked criticism from several national teams and football associations.
Trump also joined Infantino, alongside the leaders of Canada and Mexico, during the World Cup trophy presentation after Spain defeated Argentina in the final. The pair watched the match together from a luxury suite before appearing on the field, where they were met with boos from spectators at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Raskin’s investigation also focuses on FIFA’s World Cup ticketing policies, which are already under scrutiny by several US state attorneys general.
The use of dynamic pricing during the tournament triggered widespread criticism after ticket prices surged beyond the reach of many supporters.
“The most recent quid pro quo that FIFA and President Trump orchestrated is not a victimless crime. It hurts Americans,” Raskin wrote, accusing FIFA of exploiting its privileged relationship with the Trump administration to engage in “illegal price-gouging and fraudulent sales tactics” during the World Cup.
