The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has withdrawn its support for Gianni Infantino’s bid for another term as FIFA president, adding to growing pressure on the football governing body’s leadership ahead of the 2027 election.
The Belgian federation announced its position on Monday, September 7, saying it could not support Infantino’s re-election because of concerns over transparency and governance within FIFA.
The decision comes shortly after FIFA confirmed that Infantino intends to seek another term in office at the FIFA presidential election scheduled for March 2027. If successful, the 56-year-old Swiss-Italian would remain FIFA president until 2031.
According to the RBFA, its decision is based mainly on two issues that it believes FIFA has not adequately explained.
The first concerns the controversial FIFA Forward Enterprise proposal, which involved plans for private investment linked to FIFA’s commercial interests in the World Cup.
The Belgian federation said important decisions and assessments surrounding the initiative had not been sufficiently supported with clear explanations, raising questions about the transparency and governance of the process.
The proposal was eventually abandoned after facing strong opposition from UEFA and several football associations.
The second issue involves the controversial disciplinary decision surrounding United States forward Folarin Balogun during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Balogun had received a red card that was expected to rule him out of the United States’ subsequent knockout-stage match against Belgium. However, FIFA later overturned or suspended the ban, allowing him to play against Belgium.
The decision generated controversy, particularly after United States President Donald Trump publicly said he had contacted Infantino regarding the matter.
Belgium challenged the decision and has continued to demand an explanation from FIFA.
The RBFA said it had specifically requested a clear justification for the decision and details about how similar situations would be handled in the future, but had not received what it considered a satisfactory response.
The Belgian federation has now asked FIFA to place the matter on the agenda of the next FIFA Council meeting scheduled for October 15.
RBFA President Pascale Van Damme said the association believes complete transparency and clear explanations are essential in matters involving football's governing body.
Belgium's decision adds to growing opposition to Infantino's leadership among some European football associations.
Other national associations have also withdrawn their backing for the FIFA president, while UEFA and other football bodies have expressed concerns over aspects of his leadership and governance.
Despite the growing criticism, Infantino continues to enjoy significant support from several football regions, including Africa and South America.
For now, he remains the only officially declared candidate for the March 2027 FIFA presidential election.
The Belgian federation's decision is therefore unlikely to determine the outcome of the election on its own, but it represents another significant setback for Infantino as he attempts to secure support for a further term.
The controversy also highlights a broader debate within world football over transparency, accountability and how major decisions are made by FIFA.
As the 2027 election approaches, pressure is expected to increase on Infantino and FIFA to provide clearer explanations on the issues raised by Belgium and other football associations.
For the RBFA, however, the message is clear: until satisfactory answers are provided on the issues it has raised, Belgium will not support Gianni Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president.
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