EU calls for Infantino probe over suspension of Balogun’s red card
No fewer than 72 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have formally demanded an ethics investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The political backlash follows FIFA’s unprecedented mid-tournament decision to lift a red card suspension for United States striker Folarin Balogun during the 2026 World Cup.
Under standard FIFA tournament regulations, a red card carries an automatic one-match ban, which would rule Balogun out of the Round-of-16 clash against Belgium.
However, FIFA led by Infantino invoked a legal loophole via Article 27 of its disciplinary code, suspending the ban and placing Balogun on a one-year probation instead.
However, European Parliament lawmakers Barry Andrews, Lara Wolters and Niels Fuglsang said in a joint statement that FIFAs decision to “change the rule on red card suspensions mid-tournament is a disgrace and a perversion of justice.”
“Once again, we’ve seen Infantino and FIFA surrender to the demands of the Trump administration,” the statement said.
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The lawmakers also demanded that FIFA Ethics Committee duly investigates Infantino to ascertain whether pressure from the Trump administration was a factor in the lifting of the suspension, as well as “other potential breaches of political neutrality” like awarding Trump the FIFA Peace Prize.
“The beauty of sport is that it is based on impartial and transparent rules. When Infantino allows political pressure to determine who gets to play, this sense of fairness goes out the window,” they said.
Recall that Donald Trump, confirmed that he asked FIFA to review the red card ban given to Balogun in the team’s match against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 32 at the World Cup.
Trump, who made the confirmation in a statement issued on Monday, said that he called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to suspend the red card given to Balogun, describing the decision to hand the player the caution as a “terrible call.”
He stated that all he asked for from FIFA was a review of the red card call, which has now been overturned—making the player available to face Belgium in the round-of-16 encounter.
Infantino also issued a statement suggesting that Trump did not influence the declaration to overturn Balogun’s red card while arguing that FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent and operate autonomously.
Infantino insisted that the White House or Trump’s influence could not affect the decision due to the powers contained in Article 27 and the independent nature of the disciplinary panel.
