Gianni Infantino is facing the biggest crisis of his decade-long reign12:15, 07 Jul 2026Gianni Infantino is determined to remain at the helm of FIFA amid mounting pressure to resign for allowing Donald Trump to meddle in the World Cup. The United States were dumped out of the competition in the last 16 after a 4-1 defeat by Belgium in Seattle.‌They did so with star man Folarin Balogun included in the starting line-up after the one-match ban he incurred for his dismissal during the 2-0 win over Bosnia in the previous round was controversially suspended, with President Trump revealing he had asked Infantino to review the incident.‌Belgium then saw an appeal against the decision thrown out, although they were too strong for the co-hosts anyway. Despite that, the fallout from Trump's intervention is set to continue amid widespread calls for Infantino to step down from the role he has held for a decade.‌FIFA has strict rules around political interference in the business of its national associations, with the Nepalese federation suspended just last month for third-party interference. But if Infantino gets his way, he will remain in charge of FIFA for another five years after declaring his intention to stand for re-election next year.Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!Under the usual four-year cycle, if he wins, his reign would be extended to 2031, when he would be barred from running again, as he would have reached his maximum term limit. Speaking in April, the 56-year-old said: "As you've heard, the electoral period for the presidential election at FIFA starts today.‌"I'm honoured and humbled at the same time, and I want to tell you first, the 211 member associations, I want to confirm to you that I will be a candidate for the election of FIFA president next year."Despite his unpopularity in Europe, Infantino has widespread support in Africa and South America. Therefore, if he survives the current crisis, he is likely to be re-elected in 2027. UEFA has blasted FIFA's decision to suspend Balogun's red card, saying it "crossed a red line."‌A statement from European football's governing body read: " Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not."A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted. It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension.‌"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined. Equally, such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition."It added: "We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.Article continues belowContent cannot be displayed without consent