The Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has refused to support Gianni Infantino's re-election as FIFA president. The decision, announced on Monday, is directly linked to a lack of answers regarding the red card suspension of US striker Folarin Balogun at the 2026 World Cup.
The RBFA released a statement outlining its position. It pointed to the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise project and, crucially, the suspension of Balogun's red card ban which allowed the player to face Belgium in the last 16. "In the ongoing case concerning Folarin Balogun's red card at the World Cup, in which the RBFA is directly involved, important questions remain unanswered in our view," the federation said.
Folarin Balogun, 25, received a straight red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the group stage. An intervention involving former US President Donald Trump, government officials, US Soccer and an extensive legal team led to his ban being suspended. This made him available for the match against Belgium. Belgium formally challenged FIFA's decision, but the appeal committee dismissed it. The Red Devils still won the game 4-1, eliminating the co-hosts, and celebrated with a Trump-style dance in the locker room.
The RBFA accuses FIFA of failing to provide clear justification. "Despite our explicit requests for (1) a clear justification of the decisions taken and (2) details on how such situations will be handled in the future, we have not yet received any satisfactory response on this matter," the federation added. RBFA president Pascale Van Damme confirmed her team had communicated constructively with FIFA during and after the World Cup. "Two months after the events, we note that our questions remain unanswered to date," she said.
Belgium is the latest European federation to confirm its opposition to Infantino ahead of March's election. UEFA, of which Belgium is a member, has clearly called for the FIFA president to resign after the FFE plan failed and has lodged several legal filings in the United States to force him out. FIFA reiterated on Sunday that Infantino will stand for a third term, with continental federations divided. Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have joined UEFA in calling for his resignation. However, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) maintains its support for Infantino, as do member states including Mexico and Qatar. CONMEBOL criticised the FFE plans but called for 'unity' ahead of the elections.
The Belgian national team, currently top of their World Cup qualifying group with 5 points (1 win, 2 draws), must move on. They have scored 6 goals and conceded 2 in their first three matches. Their last official outing was a 2-1 defeat to Spain on 10 July 2026. Belgium's recent form shows three wins and two losses from their last five games, but they have lost the last two. Midfielder Amadou Onana is currently sidelined, depriving the manager of a key option.
The RBFA has asked for the Balogun case to be added to the agenda for October's FIFA Council meeting. The Belgian federation intends to continue pursuing its concerns, as it pledged after its victory over the United States. The case remains open as the national team prepares for its next showdown against Italy.
