Former England manager Sam Allardyce has launched a scathing attack on US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, accusing them of a 'scandalous' intervention at the World Cup. The controversy erupted after Trump made a personal call to Infantino, requesting that FIFA overturn a suspension for US striker Folarin Balogun ahead of their last-16 match against Belgium.
FIFA's Controversial Decision
FIFA's independent Disciplinary Committee subsequently ruled that Balogun's one-game ban would be suspended under Article 27 of FIFA regulations, allowing him to play. The USA ultimately lost 4-1 to Belgium, but the decision sparked outrage among other nations, who accused FIFA of showing favouritism toward the American president due to his close relationship with Infantino.
Allardyce, speaking on the Footy Accumulators No Tippy Tappy Football podcast in partnership with BOYLE Sports, did not hold back. 'What's it got to do with Infantino? He's not in charge of the rules. What does Donald Trump know about football? Absolutely zero. It's not even within his domain or his power apart from what he's done. He's put the game to shame on this. It's scandalous, scandalous,' the 71-year-old said.
Inconsistent Disciplinary Actions
The inconsistency of FIFA's disciplinary actions has been highlighted by the case of England's Jarell Quansah. Despite Balogun receiving a reprieve, Quansah's ban was increased from one game to two following the same FIFA Disciplinary Committee review. Allardyce questioned how FIFA could justify overturning one suspension while maintaining rules for others. 'So everybody should have their red cards suspended in this World Cup now? There's no 'just on this occasion it's that one, because of this and that' - it's either that or it's not that,' he said.
UEFA Condemns Decision
Allardyce praised UEFA for publicly condemning the decision and suggested European football should consider a stronger stance against FIFA's governance. 'The good thing is that UEFA have come out and said it's a disgrace. Right now, they should say, 'We're breaking away from you, we don't like what you're doing, we don't like what you're controlling, we'll control our own',' he added.
Infantino's Response and Political Fallout
Infantino sought to clarify that he could not directly impact the independent panel's decisions and claimed he informed Trump of this after the president contacted him. However, this has done little to quell dissent. European MEPs and UK MPs are calling for a formal investigation into both Infantino and Trump. Infantino is due to be re-elected unopposed in 2027, but it remains uncertain whether he retains the backing of the 105 nations needed to maintain his presidency.
