The Royal Belgian Football Association has announced on Monday, that it has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s re-election bid as FIFA president. Belgium cited FIFA’s unorthodox decision to defer a mandatory one-game suspension for U.S. forward Folarin Balogun during the 2026 World Cup after a direct call from U.S. President Donald Trump. The RBFA noted that unanswered questions remain months after the incident regarding how disciplinary matters are handled.
“My team at the RBFA communicated with FIFA in a composed and constructive manner, both during and after the World Cup, in order to obtain clarity in the Balogun case. Two months after the events, we note that our questions remain unanswered to date,” RBFA President Pascale Van Damme said in a statement.
“Given the importance of transparency and clarity for all parties involved, we request the necessary explanations and, at the same time, wish to explore where improvements to the current processes are possible.” Infantino continues to seek re-election for a final term lasting until 2031 but after losing the support of several national federations, it seems very unlikely that he will stay in the role.
Concerns persist regarding Infantino’s controversial and ultimately abandoned “FIFA Forward Enterprise” plan to sell private commercial stakes in the World Cup.