FIFA set to change rules after Folarin Balogun World Cup suspension controversy

FIFA is moving to adjust its regulations and close the door on another episode like the one involving Folarin Balogun. The controversy erupted after the automatic one-game suspension handed to the United States forward was set aside during the World Cup, reigniting the debate over political interference in football's governing body.

• The FIFA Council will vote Thursday in Zurich on a proposal to explicitly ban the suspension of automatic one-match punishments.
• Donald Trump revealed he personally phoned Gianni Infantino to request a review of Balogun's red card.
• FA chair and FIFA vice-president Debbie Hewitt has been demanding all case documents for weeks.
• Infantino insists the disciplinary panel acted independently of his office.
• The Council will also examine a plan to distribute $6.35 billion to member federations.

What FIFA will change to prevent another Balogun case

The proposal under consideration aims to turn what has been a discretionary practice into an explicit rule. It would prevent automatic one-game bans from being suspended in future cases. The goal is to eliminate a loophole that, in the American forward's case, led to accusations of favoritism and outside pressure.

The Zurich-based organization believes the move restores certainty to the disciplinary framework. But the regulatory adjustment does not answer every question. Many critics still demand a full explanation of exactly how the striker's suspension was set aside during the global tournament.

The Donald Trump call to Gianni Infantino that ignited the dispute

Attention turned to the United States president after he publicly stated that he had called Infantino. Trump said the conversation was aimed at requesting a review of the red card shown to Balogun. Soon after, the disciplinary committee opted to suspend the automatic ban.

The sequence of events fueled suspicions of political meddling. For FIFA's leadership, however, the timeline proves nothing: Infantino has consistently maintained that the disciplinary panel reached its decision independently and without guidance from his office.

Debbie Hewitt demands documents in the Balogun case

The Football Association chair and FIFA vice-president, Debbie Hewitt, is not satisfied with the official account. Last month she sent a letter to Infantino requesting the release of all documents related to the disciplinary file. Her aim is to reconstruct the entire process, from the original punishment to the decision to set it aside.

Hewitt and other Council members want concrete answers. The meeting in Zurich is shaping up as the stage where some of those questions will surface, even if detailed explanations are far from guaranteed.

FIFA Council also considers $6.35 billion distribution plan

Thursday's agenda goes well beyond the Balogun controversy. On the table is a proposal from FIFA administrators to distribute $6.35 billion to national federations and continental confederations over the next three years. Each of FIFA's 211 member countries would receive $25 million.

That figure would more than double the amount originally slated for the 2027-2030 cycle. The plan follows a letter from the presidents of UEFA and Concacaf urging an additional $10 million release per federation from FIFA's cash reserves, estimated at $6 billion.

Infantino's fourth-term bid and the abandoned FFE project

The Swiss official arrives at the meeting in a strengthened position. After a difficult summer over the failed FIFA Forward Enterprise project, which sought private investment for the commercial rights of the World Cup, Infantino secured unanimous backing from the Confederation of African Football last week.

The FFE initiative was developed without consulting the Council and prompted resignation calls from three confederations, including UEFA. However, Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has softened his stance and now proposes an internal working group to explore governance reforms. Infantino, for his part, remains intent on standing for a fourth term at next year's Congress.

Peace Prize, Trump Tower offices and other Council agenda items

The Council will also discuss the FIFA Peace Prize, which was presented to Donald Trump for the first time last December. Several members are seeking clarity on the selection process for this year's award.

Questions may also arise over the lease for office space in New York's Trump Tower, where FIFA reportedly agreed to pay around $4 million over seven years. Additionally, reports emerged this week that Infantino received a £1.3 million payment in 2024 from an American World Cup subsidiary that was omitted from FIFA's annual financial report.