The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) announced that it will lodge a formal complaint with FIFA over the role of U.S. President Donald Trump in the suspension of Folarin Balogun's World Cup red card. NFF president Lise Klaveness confirmed the plan, saying the move follows the federation's support for an ethical complaint filed against FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Balogun, a striker for the United States men's national team, was sent off during a match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The dismissal should have triggered a ban for the next match, but FIFA later suspended that sanction without any formal appeal process.
Klaveness argued that the decision was influenced by external forces without due process, jeopardising the integrity of the sport. She warned that allowing state leaders to intervene could compromise FIFA's neutrality and set a dangerous precedent for political interference in football.
Political Pressure Behind the Decision
According to the NFF, Trump confirmed he called Infantino to request a review of Balogun's suspension. The Trump administration, together with lawyers it recruited, allegedly orchestrated a coordinated lobbying effort to pressure FIFA into overturning the sanction.
Infantino defended his actions, acknowledging the conversation with the president but insisting that FIFA's disciplinary committees remain independent and operate autonomously under the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
Broader Ethical Concerns
The complaint, submitted to FIFA's Ethics Committee by the non‑profit organization FairSquare, alleges breaches of political neutrality by Infantino and calls for an investigation into the process that led to Trump receiving the FIFA Peace Prize. Fifty members of the European Parliament had previously urged FIFA to address the issue in June.
FIFA's statutes assert that the organization remains neutral in political and religious matters, and its Code of Ethics obliges all signatories to stay politically neutral when dealing with government institutions. The NFF contends that adapting to state leaders threatens this principle.
The dispute highlights a growing tension between football's governing bodies and political actors, with the Norwegian federation joining a list of stakeholders demanding greater transparency and protection against external influence.