FIFA president Gianni Infantino could face congressional subpoena powers from House Democrats after their midterm victory, with Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin expected to become Judiciary Committee chairman in January. A House Judiciary Committee source told the Telegraph on Tuesday that “all investigative options are very much on the table, though no decisions have been made.”
Infantino leads FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, which hosted the 2026 World Cup in North America from June 11 to July 19. Spain beat Argentina in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium. In July, when Democrats were still in the House minority, Raskin, then the committee’s ranking member, wrote Infantino requesting documents and a transcribed interview. He lacked the power to compel either.
“DOJ’s puzzling capitulation makes a lot more sense when we reflect on FIFA’s brazen campaign to curry favor with Donald Trump since his re-election—a campaign that has now paid rich dividends for FIFA just as North America hosted its first joint World Cup,” Raskin wrote.
He accused Infantino of inventing a “hilariously fake ‘FIFA Peace Prize'” for Trump, who “has made no secret of the fact that he covets the Nobel Peace Prize.” FIFA awarded Trump its inaugural Peace Prize on December 5, 2025, an event this website previewed before the ceremony.
Raskin also wrote that FIFA “leased an office space on the 17th floor of Trump Tower—a space that might retail for $600,000 a year—even though it would only be used during the 39-day period of the World Cup.” “These actions appear designed to induce President Trump and his Administration to make decisions in FIFA’s favor,” he wrote.
The July 26 letter asked Infantino to produce, by 5 p.m. on August 9, records of anything of value given to Trump, his administration, his family, or entities such as the Trump Organization; documents about FIFA’s Trump Tower lease and the Peace Prize; communications since 2024 with U.S. officials or the presidential transition about Justice Department or other federal matters; communications with the U.S. government about World Cup ticketing; and visitor logs for FIFA’s Miami and New York offices. It also gave notice to preserve communications, including disappearing messages, and asked Infantino to appear for a transcribed interview while in the United States.
In September, a House Judiciary Democrats spokeswoman said committee staff had received “a briefing on litigation relating to the FIFA bribery scandal,” but that FIFA had “yet to turn over any priority documents requested by the committee,” and called its cooperation “woefully inadequate.” A FIFA spokesman told The Athletic: “FIFA has had productive discussions with the House Staff. There has been no indication that they were anything other than pleased with our proactive engagement, and we look forward to addressing any of their remaining questions.”
After reports of a proposed commercial spin-off, Raskin told the Guardian on July 30: “Fifa needs to cooperate in good faith now. If and when Democrats take the House, this Committee will have the tools we need to get answers, expose corruption, protect sports fans against exorbitant and fraudulent charges and block this attempt to turn world soccer into a global financial shakedown.” Democrats won the House on November 3. If Raskin, whom this website has reported is poised to lead the committee, takes the gavel in January, he would have the power to issue subpoenas.
Anonymous senior FIFA insiders told the Telegraph that legal demands to give evidence are likely “as soon as January.” A source said there was a “distinct possibility” members of the Kushner family could be called, and that “a subpoena for Trump is not expected at this stage, however.”
Raskin wrote that FIFA “surged finals tickets to nearly $33,000 per seat, more than 20 times” a $1,550 maximum promised in the original North American bid, citing a reported top-end price. New York and New Jersey attorneys general have opened ticketing investigations. He quoted New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport saying FIFA had turned buying a ticket “into a gauntlet of confusion, fake scarcity, and impossibly high prices—all at the expense of consumers.”
The New York Times has reported that the Justice Department dismissed FIFA-related bribery cases. Raskin has treated that as a payoff for FIFA’s courtship of Trump. The letter itself recounts the U.S. Attorney’s stated rationale: that the appeal was not an administration “priority.”
The Guardian has reported a proposed spin-off of FIFA’s commercial operations, valued at about $20 billion, with JPMorgan leading fundraising and Thrive Eternal, an investment vehicle linked to Joshua Kushner, among prospective investors.
This website reported in July that FIFA reversed a one-game suspension of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun after a review and a phone call between Infantino and Trump, who said, “I asked for a review by FIFA.” Belgium was then appealing the reversal.
The Telegraph and the New York Post have also reported allegations that Infantino asked Carlos Cordeiro, a former U.S. Soccer president and Trump adviser, to help secure a U.S. work permit for a Nicaraguan housekeeper. The Telegraph said the inquiry has widened to include documents about those revelations.
FIFA firmly rejected any suggestion of wrongdoing. In a statement, it said: “Fifa rejects any suggestion that it employed an individual in the US without the necessary authorisation. Fifa verifies the employment status of each employee and ensures compliance with US immigration and employment requirements.” It added that “the costs of any domestic staff are met by the Fifa president personally,” and condemned publication of staff details. The statement does not address whether Infantino asked Cordeiro for help.
Infantino is campaigning to remain FIFA president in a March 2027 election.
