RismadarVoice Reporters
October 6, 2026
The Norwegian Football Federation has filed formal complaints with two FIFA bodies seeking investigations into President Gianni Infantino over concerns surrounding three controversial decisions involving the global football governing body.
The complaints were submitted to FIFA’s Ethics Committee and its Governance, Audit and Compliance Committee, with the Norwegian federation requesting scrutiny of possible ethical breaches as well as FIFA’s governance, financial oversight, internal controls and decision-making procedures.
The three matters concern FIFA’s abandoned Forward Enterprise project, the decision that allowed United States forward Folarin Balogun to play despite an automatic suspension following a red card at the 2026 World Cup, and the creation and presentation of FIFA’s Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump.
Norwegian Football Federation President Lise Klaveness said the cases raised broader questions about transparency, political neutrality, conflicts of interest and the concentration of decision-making authority within FIFA.
In the Balogun case, the US forward received a direct red card during the World Cup, which ordinarily carried an automatic one-match suspension.
FIFA subsequently suspended the enforcement of the ban, allowing Balogun to play in the United States’ next match. The decision drew criticism after reports that Trump had personally contacted Infantino about the case.
Norway has asked FIFA’s ethics investigators to examine communications surrounding the decision and determine whether external contacts influenced the disciplinary process or whether FIFA’s independence requirements were breached.
The federation is also seeking scrutiny of FIFA Forward Enterprise, a proposed commercial venture under which a stake in a new FIFA-related company could have been sold to private investors.
The project was eventually withdrawn following opposition and questions over how it had been developed and whether FIFA’s governing bodies had been sufficiently involved in the process.
Norway wants investigators to examine communications between FIFA officials and potential investors, the decision-making process behind the project and whether any conflicts of interest existed.
The third issue concerns FIFA’s Peace Prize, which was presented to Trump after its creation in 2025.
Norway has questioned how the award was established, who authorised it and whether the process was consistent with FIFA’s obligations concerning political neutrality and institutional governance.
The complaints do not constitute findings of wrongdoing against Infantino. FIFA’s relevant bodies will determine whether the matters warrant formal investigation and whether any rules were breached.
Klaveness has previously called for Infantino to step down and has been an outspoken critic of FIFA’s governance under his leadership.
The latest action intensifies scrutiny of FIFA as the organisation approaches another presidential election cycle, with questions over governance and transparency increasingly forming part of the debate surrounding its leadership.
