Belgium Revolts: Why the FA Refuses to Back Infantino for Another Term as FIFA President

Gianni Infantino may be the only declared candidate running for another term as FIFA president ahead of March 2027, but his path forward is hitting severe turbulence across Europe.

On Monday, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) officially joined a growing revolt, announcing it will not endorse Infantino’s re-election. Citing deep concerns over transparency, backdoor decision-making, and broken governance, Belgium joins heavyweights like England and Italy in pulling their support.

At the heart of the standoff are two controversies that left European associations furious.

The World Cup Red Card Fiasco

The most explosive issue stems from the recent World Cup and an unprecedented disciplinary reversal involving US striker Folarin Balogun.

Balogun was handed a straight red card during the United States’ round-of-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, triggering what should have been an automatic ban for the subsequent round-of-16 clash against Belgium.

Instead, FIFA stepped in and lifted the suspension, paving the way for Balogun to start. The move triggered immediate backlash across world football, which only escalated when it emerged that US President Donald Trump had personally phoned Infantino to intervene.

 

Even though Belgium went on to defeat the US 4-1, the RBFA is refusing to let the matter slide.

“Two months after the events, we note that our questions remain unanswered to date,“ said RBFA

President Pascale Van Damme, who has formally demanded the Balogun case be placed on the agenda for the FIFA Council meeting on October 15.

Backroom Commercial Deals

The fallout over on-pitch favoritism is only half the problem. The Belgian federation also hit out at Infantino’s aborted initiative to sell World Cup commercial stakes to private equity investors without widespread consultation.

While intense pushback forced Infantino to hastily shelve the private investment plan, the damage to his credibility was already done. Member associations are increasingly alarmed by what they view as centralized, unchecked governance in Zurich.

The Bigger Picture

Infantino has spent years consolidating power, but a rebellion led by UEFA powerhouses shows the cracks are widening. With the October council meeting looming and the election set for early next year, FIFA’s top seat might face its rockiest campaign yet.