Democrats Probe Fifa, Infantino Over Trump Ties
House Judiciary Democrats say Fifa's cooperation with their inquiry into its courting of President Trump is woefully inadequate.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Soccer
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On July 26, Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee launched an investigation into Fifa and Gianni Infantino over a sustained campaign to curry favour with President Trump. The Committee has requested documents and testimony from Infantino, and on September 23 said cooperation was woefully inadequate.
Why it matters
Democrats, the minority party on the Committee at the time, lack subpoena power, which limits their ability to compel Fifa to hand over priority documents it has not yet provided. The probe adds political scrutiny to Fifa's governance ahead of its next presidential election.
Fifa's statutes allow a maximum of three presidential terms, and the Fifa Council discounted Infantino's 2016 to 2019 first term. Fifa has not yet turned over the priority documents the Committee requested, and it is unclear when or whether it will.
The players
Gianni Infantino
Fifa president who has led the organization since 2016 and is the focus of the Committee's inquiry.
Fifa
The international governing body for association football, which organizes the World Cup and other global competitions.
Uefa
The European football confederation that rejected the Fifa Forward Enterprise plan and threatened a tournament boycott.
Thrive Capital
The venture firm founded by Joshua Kushner that Fifa confirmed would lead the private investor group for the stake-sale plan.
The details
The inquiry follows a plan, reported by The Times on July 28, for Infantino to sell stakes in a Fifa Forward Enterprise vehicle to private investors, with Thrive Capital, founded by Joshua Kushner, brother of Jared Kushner, leading the group. Three continental confederations, including Uefa, rejected the plan, and Uefa threatened to boycott Fifa tournaments unless it was abandoned; Infantino announced the idea was withdrawn on August 1.
Timeline
July 26: Committee launches investigation into Fifa and Infantino.
July 28: The Times reports the Fifa Forward Enterprise stake-sale plan.
August 1: Infantino announces the plan has been withdrawn.
September 23: Committee Democrats say Fifa's cooperation is woefully inadequate.
Next year (2027): Fifa presidential election, with Uefa pledging to field a challenger.
Season Trajectory
The investigation extends the scrutiny of Fifa governance that followed the 2015 corruption indictments of senior officials. It also sets up a contested 2027 presidential election in which Uefa has pledged to field a challenger to Infantino.
Fans and federations following the sport should track whether Fifa produces the requested documents, since a deeper Committee inquiry could shape the 2027 Fifa presidential race. Continental confederations have already shown they will push back on governance proposals they oppose.
The takeaway
Governance disputes at Fifa are now playing out in Congress as well as in football's own institutions, and the outcome of the 2027 election may depend on how the inquiry and the confederations' challenges unfold.
What happens next
Fifa's presidential election is scheduled for next year, when Uefa has pledged to identify a challenger to Infantino.
Further reading
For more on the governing body at the center of this probe, see Soccer.
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