The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has announced it will not support Gianni Infantino's campaign for another term as Fifa president. The decision stems from what the RBFA describes as a lack of transparency regarding the Fifa Forward Enterprise (FFE) initiative and the controversial ruling that allowed Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium despite a mandatory World Cup suspension.
Infantino, who intends to stand for re-election next year for a final term until 2031, has faced increasing pressure. This includes a controversial proposal to sell commercial stakes in the World Cup, which was withdrawn on August 1st following widespread criticism.
The RBFA stated that Fifa has provided no satisfactory explanation for its intervention in the Balogun case, nor has it clarified how similar disciplinary matters will be managed in the future. The dispute arose after US president Donald Trump reportedly contacted Infantino, leading to Fifa deferring Balogun's one-game ban for a red-card tackle, allowing him to feature in the quarter-final match against Belgium.
Pascale Van Damme, president of the RBFA, noted that questions remain unanswered two months after the events. The Belgian federation has requested that the Balogun case be formally added to the agenda for the next Fifa Council meeting on October 15.