The Belgian FA is also adamant on hearing from FIFA about the Folarin Balogun red card reversal case in the next Council meeting on October 15
Published: September 8, 2026, 12:18 PM IST
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino is seen during the group J match between Argentina and Algeria at the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City, the United States, June 16, 2026(Photo: Xinhua via IANS)
Tensions seem to be increasing for FIFA president Gianni Infantino, who is facing the scare of not being re-elected as the world governing body’s boss in the upcoming elections next year in Rabat, MoroccoAmong those opposing his presence in the position is the Belgian football association, which has openly claimed that it won’t support Infantino.
The Belgian FA has cited governance and transparency issues as the key reasons behind their standThey are also upset about the fact that FIFA intervened and overturned the red card shown to USA’s Falorin Balogun during the 2026 World Cup across the North Americas earlier this year.
Balogun was shown a straight red for awkwardly stepping on to Tarik Muharemovic’s ankle and lower leg during the co-hosts’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and HerzegovinaIt meant that Balogun wouldn’t be able to take the field for USA in their next match but US president Donald Trump personally contacted Gianni Infantino to look into the matter.
As a result, Folarin Balogun’s red card and one-match suspension was overturned and that sparked massive controversy and outrage in the footballing worldIt was the first time that a FIFA supremo reversed a decision on the influence of a nation’s president.
The news was bound to gain traction and once it reached the ears of FIFA’s member nations, calls for Gianni Infantino’s removal were first initiatedThen, a few weeks after the World Cup concluded with Spain beating Argentina 1-0 in the final, Infantino introduced the idea of selling stakes of the quadrennial competition to private owners under the banner of FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE).
The decision received major backlash from football bodies around the world and Infantino was ultimately forced to withdraw the plans on August 1All of these things have led to calls for Infantino’s removal grow stronger with the Royal Belgian Football Association releasing an official statement against the FIFA president.
The RBFA claimed that a couple of decisions and assessments have not been cleared by FIFA and that this raises questions about the body’s transparency and governance processThe federation also stated that they remain in contact with UEFA as they attempt to seek answers about the credibility of the decision makers.
“The RBFA notes that, in this matter, a number of important decisions and assessments have, to date, not been sufficiently substantiated by adequate justificationsThis raises questions regarding the transparency and governance of this processWe remain in close contact with UEFA and, together, we are seeking clear answers regarding the decision-making process and the next steps,” the RBFA said in its official statement.
Furthermore, the Belgian FA is also adamant on hearing from FIFA about the Folarin Balogun red card reversal case in the next Council meeting on October 15.
