FIFA will review its disciplinary procedures and assess the FIFA Peace Prize following controversies over the suspension of a ban against United States forward Folarin Balogun and the award presented to US President Donald Trump.
The issues were discussed at Thursday’s FIFA Council meeting in Zurich, with updates expected at the Council’s next meeting in December 2026.
The Council agreed that FIFA’s Legal Committee would review the organisation’s disciplinary procedures after the independent Disciplinary Committee suspended, for a probationary period of one year, the one-match ban imposed on Balogun.
The US forward was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 World Cup. The decision to suspend the ban meant he did not have to serve the immediate one-match suspension.
The case raised questions about how FIFA applies its disciplinary rules. The organisation says a presentation on the review will be made at the Council’s December meeting.
Separately, the Council tasked FIFA’s Football Social Responsibility Committee with assessing the FIFA Peace Prize, with a decision also expected in December.
The award was introduced in 2025 and presented to Trump during the draw for the 2026 World Cup. Its creation and presentation drew criticism from some observers, prompting questions about its purpose and the process behind it.
The decisions come as president Gianni Infantino faces broader questions about FIFA’s governance following the withdrawal of the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise investment initiative.
The Council has also agreed to establish a working group, with representatives from across FIFA’s six confederations, to examine the organisation’s governance framework.
