FIFA President Gianni Infantino is facing intense scrutiny following the controversial cancellation of Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension for the United States’ World Cup last-16 tie against Belgium. The decision, which allowed the US star to play despite World Cup rules prohibiting appeals against red cards, has ignited a fresh wave of criticism regarding FIFA’s governance and alleged political interference.

The controversy deepened after US President Donald Trump stated he had asked for a review of the decision. When questioned about calls to Infantino, Trump asserted, “I’m the one that got them to do it.” This claim directly challenges FIFA’s statutes, which explicitly forbid political interference in football, a rule that has seen countries like Pakistan suspended from international football three times in eight years due to government involvement. European football’s governing body, UEFA, voiced strong opposition to the ruling, labelling it an “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.”

Political ties and ethics complaints

The Balogun incident is not the first time Infantino’s relationship with Donald Trump has drawn criticism. In December 2025, the human rights campaign group FairSquare complained to FIFA’s ethics committee, alleging that Infantino broke rules on political neutrality by creating and bestowing the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize upon Trump on December 5. Further pressure mounted on July 2, 2026, when 50 MEPs, led by Barry Andrews, Niels Fuglsang, and Lara Wolters, wrote a new letter to the ethics committee demanding action on the complaint. The Norwegian Football Federation, through its president Lise Klaveness, also sent a letter to FIFA on June 1, supporting the ethics complaint.

Reports from *Le Monde* revealed that fewer than ten FIFA staff members were involved in the decision to initiate and award the Peace Prize, with none of the 37 members of the FIFA Council consulted. These events have fuelled concerns about transparency and decision-making within the organisation, especially as Infantino, who has been FIFA president for 10 years, prepares for re-election in 2027.

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Infantino’s secure position amid European dissent

Despite the controversies, Infantino appears to have secured his re-election campaign. He was re-elected unopposed in both 2019 and 2023. For the upcoming election, he has already garnered significant support:

Conmebol (South American confederation) confirmed its 10 countries would back Infantino in April.

Three weeks later, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) confirmed unanimous backing from its 54 member associations.

Shortly afterwards, the Asian Football Confederation’s 47 nations followed suit.

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This collective support provides Infantino with 111 votes, already surpassing the 106 votes needed to win a presidential election among FIFA’s 211 member countries.

However, friction with UEFA continues to grow. In May 2025, UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin led a group of European delegates in a walk-out during a break at the FIFA Congress. UEFA has also publicly highlighted differences in approach, noting that Euro 2028 tickets are cheaper than World Cup tickets and that they will not introduce hydration breaks or red cards for players who cover their mouth. The European body also notably invited Somali referee Omar Artan, who had been denied access to the US by immigration officials, to referee the UEFA Super Cup on August 12 between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa.

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