The crisis surrounding the lifting of the suspension of American striker Folarin Balogun has taken a new turn, after dozens of Members of the European Parliament called for an investigation into the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, following allegations that he succumbed to political pressure from US president Donald Trump, in one of the most controversial issues surrounding the 2026 World Cup.
According to the Associated Press, 35 MEPs signed a letter calling on FIFA’s Ethics Committee to investigate Infantino’s role, after the Disciplinary Committee decided to lift Balogun’s suspension, allowing him to play against Belgium in the round of 16, despite having received a red card in the previous match.
Accusations of bowing to political pressure
The parliamentary initiative was led by MEPs Barry Andrews, Lara Walters and Niels Fuglsang, who argued that the incident raises serious doubts about FIFA’s independence, accusing Infantino of bowing to pressure from the Trump administration.
Once again, we have seen Infantino and FIFA bow to the demands of the Trump administration.
The MEPs also described the decision to change the application of the suspension resulting from a red card during the tournament as “a disgrace and a distortion of justice”.
Independence of sport threatened
The MEPs called on football associations in EU countries to put pressure on FIFA’s Ethics Committee to open a formal investigation, not limited to the decision to lift the suspension, but also to examine whether there have been breaches of the principle of political neutrality within the international federation.
The signatories to the letter emphasised that the integrity of sport is based on fair and transparent rules, and that any political pressure affecting players’ eligibility to participate undermines the principle of sporting justice and the independence of competitions, warning that such a precedent could open the door to future political interference in football decisions.
FIFA denies Infantino interference
In response, FIFA denied that Infantino had interfered in the decision, emphasising that the lifting of the suspension was issued by the Independent Disciplinary Committee in accordance with its powers, and not by a decision of the FIFA President.
Despite this denial, pressure on FIFA continues as European criticism mounts, at a time when the Balogun case has become one of the most prominent crises facing Infantino during the 2026 World Cup, amidst growing questions regarding the independence of sporting decisions from political influence.
Featured image via the Canary
By Alaa Shamali
