Belgium withdraws Infantino support over Balogun red-card suspension controversy

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has formally withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as Fifa president, citing failures of transparency over the Folarin Balogun suspension controversy and the handling of the Fifa Forward Enterprise commercial proposal.

In a statement released on Monday, the RBFA said Fifa had “shown no transparency” regarding both the Balogun disciplinary ruling and the FFE initiative — a plan to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup to private equity firms for $4.2 billion that was withdrawn on 1 August, just days after it became public, following widespread criticism across the sport.

The Balogun dispute centres on a decision by Fifa to defer the forward’s mandatory one-game ban, which had been triggered by a red card during the United States’ group-stage match against Bosnia & Herzegovina. The deferral, which came after US president Donald Trump contacted Infantino directly, allowed Balogun to feature in the last-16 tie against Belgium. Belgium ultimately won that match 4-1.

“Two months after the events, we note that our questions remain unanswered to date,” said RBFA president Pascale Van Damme. “Given the importance of transparency and clarity for all parties involved…” The Belgian federation added that it remains in close contact with Uefa and is “seeking clear answers regarding the decision-making process and the next steps.”

Infantino, who has led Fifa since 2016, announced on Sunday his intention to stand in next year’s presidential election for what would be a final term extending his tenure until 2031. He is facing mounting opposition from within European football. Uefa has publicly called for him to step down, stating it has lost confidence in his leadership and previously threatened to boycott Fifa tournaments including the World Cup. The English FA is among a growing number of member associations that have already withdrawn their backing.

The RBFA’s statement underlines the breadth of institutional dissatisfaction with Infantino’s leadership, connecting two separate governance concerns — the aborted commercial deal and the politically charged disciplinary intervention — into a single vote of no confidence ahead of the election.