Balogun red card U-turn prompts Belgium to withdraw support for Infantino

What the report says

Belgium’s Royal Belgian Football Association has said it will no longer support Gianni Infantino’s bid for a fourth term as FIFA president, according to Al Jazeera. The federation said its decision was driven by concerns over FIFA’s handling of a high-profile red card reversal involving United States forward Folarin Balogun during the 2026 World Cup, as well as criticism of Infantino’s plans to invite private investment into future World Cup-related ventures.

Al Jazeera reported that the RBFA accused FIFA of lacking transparency and said it had not received a satisfactory explanation about the Balogun case. The association also pointed to the FIFA Forward Enterprise, a FIFA-controlled subsidiary that seeks private investment, saying this raised governance questions. It has asked for the issue to be discussed at the next FIFA Council meeting in October.

The dispute adds to pressure on Infantino, who FIFA said on Sunday intends to seek re-election in the March 2027 vote. According to Al Jazeera, he has already lost backing from some national associations and regional bodies after earlier controversy over a separate sell-off proposal that was later abandoned. The Belgian federation said it is coordinating with UEFA and will keep pressing for clearer decision-making standards at FIFA.