FIFA president Gianni Infantino finds himself at the centre of a significant political crisis after 72 members of the European Parliament called for a formal inquiry into his conduct.
The demand follows the contentious decision to lift American striker Folarin Balogun’s automatic suspension during the ongoing World Cup, a move that came after US President Donald Trump directly contacted the FIFA chief to advocate for the player.
The controversy erupted when Balogun received a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32.
His one-match ban was subsequently suspended, allowing him to feature in the last-16 clash with Belgium, which the Americans lost 4-1.
Gianni Infantino had been ridiculed over the ban | GETTY
The MEPs have formally written to the heads of all 27 EU football federations, pressing for an immediate examination of how Balogun was permitted to avoid his suspension. Their correspondence argues that FIFA’s own governance framework provides clear grounds for such scrutiny.
“In light of the decision taken on Sunday to suspend the implementation of an automatic one-match suspension, we feel that it is time for European Football Associations, all of whom are member associations of FIFA, to intervene and ask that FIFA investigate the aforementioned decision-making processes,” the letter stated.
The lawmakers added: “FIFA’s statutory rules and code of ethics provide a very clear basis for member associations to intervene and demand an investigation.”
Central to the MEPs’ legal challenge are FIFA’s own regulations governing political neutrality, which they contend have been blatantly disregarded. The lawmakers pointed to specific provisions within the governing body’s rulebook designed to prevent precisely this type of governmental lobbying.
“The requirement of political neutrality is clearly outlined in both the FIFA Statutes and the Code of Ethics,” the MEPs wrote. “Article 4(2) of the FIFA Statutes outlines the principle whereby ‘FIFA remains neutral in matters of politics and religion’, and Article 15 of the FIFA Code of Ethics states that all football officials must remain politically neutral, and provides for strong sanctions for violations.”
The Norwegian Football Federation has already voiced support for an investigation into Infantino’s relationship with the American president.
Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino have been accused of having too close a relationship
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Despite mounting criticism and accusations of political interference, Infantino has stood firm in his defence. The FIFA president acknowledged speaking with Trump but insisted he did not circumvent established procedures to benefit the tournament co-hosts.
“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them,” Infantino stated.
He continued: “During our conversation (with President Trump), I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”
UEFA has entered the fray with a blistering assessment of the precedent established by the American team’s reprieve. Although Belgium ultimately dispatched the USA convincingly on the pitch, European football’s governing body believes lasting harm has been inflicted upon the competition’s credibility.
“When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined,” UEFA declared.
The statement continued: “Equally, such a decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition. We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.”