Belgian FA Seeks FIFA Council Review of Balogun Ban Decision

Belgium's football federation has asked for FIFA's decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's one-match ban at the 2026 World Cup to be placed on the agenda for the next FIFA Council meeting. BBC Sport reported that the Royal Belgian Football Association, or RBFA, is still seeking an explanation two months after Balogun was cleared to face Belgium in the round of 16.

Balogun had received a straight red card in the United States' previous match, but FIFA suspended the resulting one-game sanction for a year. That allowed the forward, who had scored three goals by that stage of the tournament, to start against Belgium. Belgium won the match 4-1 before losing to Spain in the quarter-finals.

The RBFA said it had requested a clear justification for FIFA's action and details of how comparable cases would be handled in the future. Its statement on Monday called for the matter to be discussed when the FIFA Council meets on October 15. The Belgian federation said its questions had remained unanswered and emphasized the need for transparent, consistent and efficient disciplinary processes.

According to BBC Sport, FIFA cited Article 27 of its disciplinary code, which permits the full or partial suspension of a disciplinary measure, but did not provide a fuller public explanation. Balogun's dismissal was the 189th red card in World Cup history and only the second, after Brazil's Garrincha in 1962, not to result in a served suspension. No other suspension was lifted during the 2026 tournament.

The decision attracted criticism after it emerged that United States President Donald Trump and White House officials had lobbied FIFA. UEFA and the RBFA were among the organizations that questioned the outcome. The Belgian body said it remained open to constructive cooperation with UEFA, other confederations and national associations on governance and decision-making.

The RBFA also confirmed it will not support Gianni Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president, identifying both the Balogun case and the FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal as reasons. Infantino, who has led FIFA since 2016, confirmed this week that he will seek re-election in March. The investment proposal, which involved selling stakes in FIFA competitions to private firms, has since been abandoned.