FIFA’s Gianni Infantino accused of ‘woefully inadequate’ response to questions over Donald Trump ties, tell me about this news in (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7622770/2026/09/23/fifa-gianni-infantino-donald-trump-house-democratic-committee/)

The report from The Athletic centers on intense pushback against FIFA President Gianni Infantino from lawmakers regarding transparency and political neutrality. Here are the core details of the story:

• Accusations of Non-Cooperation: Democratic lawmakers on a U.S. House committee accused Infantino of providing a “woefully inadequate” level of co-operation after FIFA failed to satisfactorily address formal inquiries into his administration’s conduct, governance, and political relationships.

• Scrutiny Over Donald Trump Ties: The committee pressed FIFA over potential ethical breaches and conflicts of interest stemming from Infantino’s unusually close alignment with Donald Trump. Key flashpoints under review include public endorsements, political alignment surrounding the North American World Cup, the controversial awarding of an unvetted “FIFA Peace Prize” to Trump, and allegations of external political influence over tournament decisions.

• Commercial and Governance Controversies: The inquiry touches upon broader governance issues, including the attempted development of commercial and investment initiatives (such as private equity ventures like FIFA Forward Enterprise) involving politically connected investors, which bypassed standard FIFA protocols before facing significant backlash.

• Criticism of FIFA Oversight: Lawmakers and ethics watchdogs argue that FIFA’s evasive and limited replies demonstrate a continuing failure of internal self-regulation, prompting calls for greater external oversight and accountability from public officials.