FA's backing of Infantino under scrutiny as Trump-FIFA ban controversy deepens

The Football Association faces uncomfortable questions over its reported support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino after he became entangled in a controversy involving Donald Trump and the United States men’s national team at the 2026 World Cup.

According to The Telegraph, FIFA circulated letters encouraging leading member associations to formally back Infantino for another presidential term in 2027. The FA, led by chairwoman Debbie Hewitt and chief executive Mark Bullingham, had allegedly agreed to provide that backing and was “poised to send a letter of support” around the time the tournament kicked off in Mexico in June. It remains unclear whether the FA dispatched the letter before the Balogun affair became public.

The controversy centres on Trump’s public admission that he personally called Infantino to request FIFA’s intervention in removing Folarin Balogun’s automatic one-match ban, which had been imposed after the United States forward was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Balogun’s suspension was subsequently lifted, allowing him to feature in the United States’ last-16 tie against Belgium.

The decision drew swift condemnation from both the Belgian FA and UEFA. UEFA said FIFA had crossed “a red line” with an “incomprehensible and unjustifiable” ruling that undermined “the integrity of the game and the credibility of the competition”. Calls for Infantino to resign from the role he has held since 2016 followed.

Infantino denied yielding to political pressure, insisting FIFA’s independent Disciplinary Committee reached its own judgement. In a statement, he acknowledged speaking with Trump but said he had made clear the matter was subject to an ongoing legal process.

“Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues,” Infantino said. “During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies.”

He later added that he “sometimes agrees” with the Disciplinary Committee’s decisions and “sometimes disagrees”, a remark that did little to quell the criticism. The FA has not publicly commented on whether it ultimately sent a letter of support, leaving its position — and its relationship with a FIFA leadership now under intense scrutiny — unresolved.