Overview
- The Royal Belgian Football Association said on Monday it will not back Gianni Infantino’s re‑election because FIFA has not given satisfactory explanations about the suspended red‑card ban for Folarin Balogun and the aborted FIFA Forward Enterprise rights sale.
- Belgium says FIFA failed to justify how Balogun’s automatic one‑game suspension was suspended after a direct intervention from U.S. President Donald Trump, which allowed the U.S. forward to play Belgium in the World Cup knockout match.
- FIFA has confirmed Infantino intends to stand for a final term in March 2027, so Belgium’s withdrawal adds to a string of national associations and confederations expressing loss of confidence.
- The RBFA has formally asked FIFA to place the Balogun case on the FIFA Council agenda for October 15 and is seeking clear, written explanations of the disciplinary process and how similar cases will be handled.
- The dispute has widened governance questions inside FIFA over transparency and private investment in World Cup rights and could prompt preservation notices, demands for independent reviews, or procedural motions ahead of the November candidate deadline and the March vote.