MEPs demand FIFA President Gianni Infantino appear before Parliament as boycott threats escalate

European Parliament members have drafted a letter demanding FIFA President Gianni Infantino face questioning over allegations of US political influence in FIFA’s decision-making. The letter, obtained by Euronews, accuses Infantino of treating the world’s most powerful football governing body as a “political career ladder.” The MEP-led investigation was initiated on July 7, 2026, focused on whether US political pressure influenced key FIFA decisions during the World Cup. One flashpoint involved a controversial red card against US player Folarin Balogun, which raised questions about whether the call was influenced by political considerations rather than sporting judgment. Earlier complaints alleged Infantino breached FIFA’s political neutrality through connections with a US political figure. On July 30-31, UEFA escalated things dramatically. Its emergency meeting concluded with a unified position: boycott all FIFA events unless Infantino shelves his private equity ambitions. Concacaf, which covers North and Central America plus the Caribbean, and the Asian Football Confederation have both joined the opposition to the private equity proposal. That’s three of FIFA’s six continental con...