Draft:Criticism of FIFA

• Comment: Keep in mind we need to see the topic of criticism of FIFA discussed as it's own subject. This just looks like a loose association of two controversial topics involving FIFA. My recommendation would be to visit the WP:FIFA talk page and build consensus for a WP:SPLIT from the sub-section already existing there. Sulfurboy (talk) 12:21, 27 July 2026 (UTC)

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The Fédération Internationale de Football Association[./Draft:Criticism_of_FIFA#cite_note-3 [a]] (FIFA; lit. 'International Association Football Federation') is an international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal, founded on the 21 May 1904. FIFA has faced criticised and accusations of corruption and cronyism.

2015 FIFA corruption scandal

The 2015 FIFA corruption scandal exposed a widespread bribery and corruption scheme within FIFA. This scandal implicated over two dozen FIFA officials and associates in a 24-year self-enrichment scheme that reached the highest levels of FIFA management. Accusations included bribery related to the awarding of hosting rights for the 2018 World Cup to Russia and the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. On 27 May 2015, the U.S. Department of Justice indicted 14 FIFA officials and marketing executives, charging them with receiving approximately $150 million in bribes over two decades.

The scandal led to the arrest of several high-ranking FIFA officials, including vice presidents Jeffrey Webb and Eugenio Figueredo. Although FIFA president Sepp Blatter was not initially named in the criminal investigation, he resigned shortly after being re-elected for a fifth term.

Further investigations uncovered additional corruption, resulting in suspensions and bans for several FIFA executives, including Blatter, Michel Platini, and Jérôme Valcke. The scandal highlighted an organisational culture within FIFA characterized by greed, secrecy, and corruption, severely damaging its reputation and prompting widespread calls for significant reforms in the governance of international football.

After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, by a recommendation by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA suspended the participation of Russia. The Russian Football Union unsuccessfully appealed the FIFA ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld the ban. Some observers, while approving of the boycott of Russia, have pointed out that FIFA did not boycott Saddam Hussein's Iraq as an aggressor during the Iran–Iraq War, Saudi Arabia for its military intervention in Yemen, Qatar for its human rights violations, or the United States for the actions of the US military during the Iraq War.

FIFA previously banned Indonesia due to government intervention within the team. FIFA requires members to play "with no influence from third parties".

On 23 October 2024, a new controversy came up as allegations against FIFA were made by players from several countries claiming the organisation did not pay them agreed sums of money. The total reaching with sums reaching up to £3m. According to reports, 420 players did not get paid as agreed with FIFA.

2026 Trump–FIFA red card controversy

For the first time since 1962, FIFA rescinded a World Cup red-card suspension after United States forward Folarin Balogun was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The decision followed public criticism of the referee by U.S. President Donald Trump, who described the dismissal as unjustified and said he had asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the incident, and later stated that, had the United States lost to Belgium with Balogun on the bench, he would have considered the match "rigged." The United States Soccer Federation sent attorneys with previous ties to Trump to challenge FIFA's disciplinary regulations, arguing that Balogun's suspension would unfairly affect the host nation and indicated that the case could be appealed to the Court of Arbitration of Sport. FIFA subsequently overturned Balogun's automatic one-match suspension, making him eligible for the United States' Round of 16 match against Belgium. The decision prompted criticism from UEFA, which said FIFA had "crossed a red line" and described the reversal as "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable," arguing that it undermined the integrity and credibility of the competition. The Royal Belgian Football Association challenged the decision and appealed it, but FIFA's Appeal Committee dismissed the request as inadmissible because the association was not a party to the disciplinary proceedings, stating that the matter had been resolved in accordance with its disciplinary procedures. The reversal prompted criticism from football officials and governing bodies, who expressed concern that the decision could undermine confidence in FIFA's disciplinary process. Several other European football associations and public officials questioned whether political intervention had influenced the outcome.