Uefa has put European football on a war footing with Fifa after the world governing body lifted USA striker Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension for Monday’s last-16 tie against Belgium – a decision that Fifa president Gianni Infantino admitted followed a phone call from Donald Trump.
In a statement endorsed by Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin, European football’s governing body accused Fifa of crossing “a red line” and called the move “incomprehensible and unjustifiable”. The dramatic escalation threatens to reignite hostilities between the two bodies, which had simmered since European delegates walked out of the Fifa congress in Paraguay in May 2025 in protest at Infantino’s late arrival.
“Uefa declares war after Fifa lifts Balogun's ban following Trump call to Infantino”
Infantino broke his silence on the controversy, insisting that Fifa’s disciplinary bodies are “independent” and operate autonomously. “Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump,” Infantino said in a statement. “During our conversation, 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.”
Balogun had been sent off in the group stage, but an appeal committee ruled that the one-match ban should be suspended for a year. Belgium’s attempt to challenge that decision was dismissed as inadmissible because the Royal Belgian Football Association “is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision.”
Behind the public sparring lies a deeper struggle for control of the sport’s financial future. Uefa generates almost €5bn (£4.27bn) annually from the Champions League – a figure set to rise by about 20% – while Fifa’s four-year revenues of $14bn (£10.5bn) rely overwhelmingly on the World Cup. Infantino has long sought to expand the Club World Cup from 32 to 48 teams for 2029, a move that would put Fifa in direct competition with Uefa’s flagship competition.
With both Ceferin and Infantino seeking re-election next year, the timing of this confrontation is particularly delicate. The truce that followed the Paraguay walkout now appears shattered. Ceferin, who had been conspicuously absent from this World Cup, has made his presence felt in the most dramatic way—raising the question of whether European football is prepared to follow through on the threat of a full-blown split.