FIFA's Trump Alliance Threatens Its International Neutrality

FIFA President Gianni Infantino's close alignment with the Trump administration ahead of the 2026 World Cup poses a structural risk: the federation's formal neutrality across 211 member nations could be read as entanglement in U.S. geopolitics. The Kennedy Center group draw in December 2025 signaled deep federal involvement. In regions where American influence is contested, proximity to Washington may undermine FIFA's credibility as an independent body—a challenge the federation faced after past corruption scandals.