Belgian FA will not back Gianni Infantino for a new FIFA term

08.09.2026 14:45 — The Belgian Football Association has announced it will not support Gianni Infantino for another term as FIFA president, deepening a growing rift within world football over recent controversies.

Increasingly, federations around the globe have signalled they will not back the incumbent after a string of episodes tied to the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada that damaged Infantino's standing.

Balogun reversal fuels anger

Belgium's decision was publicly framed around one particularly inflammatory episode: the late and controversial overturning of a red-card suspension for U.S. international Folarin Balogun just before the round-of-16 match between the United States and Belgium. The Belgian association described that U.S. disciplinary reversal as a shocking example and a sign of broader problems in football governance.

That moment — the cancellation of Balogun's suspension ahead of a decisive World Cup knockout tie — has been widely cited by critics as illustrative of how decisions linked to the tournament undermined confidence in FIFA's impartiality.

Belgium's announcement adds to mounting pressure on Infantino and signals that securing the necessary support for re-election will be increasingly difficult. Several other national associations have reportedly expressed reservations, and the Belgians' public refusal marks a notable escalation.

How this will affect the formal vote remains to be seen, but for now the balance of international opinion appears to be shifting away from the incumbent, leaving the next FIFA presidential race open and unpredictable.

Author: Ognen Dojcinovski

Photo: Football Tweet (X)