Published July 23, 2026
Norway’s head of football told The Times daily that Folarin Balogun’s World Cup suspension will be lodged formally with FIFA because it “puts the whole game in jeopardy”.
Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) president Lise Klavenes said she would seek the board’s support to lodge a complaint with FIFA’s Ethics Committee over the incident, which “should not have happened”.
The NFF had already lodged a complaint over President Gianni Infantino’s awarding of FIFA’s inaugural Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump, which was widely ridiculed.
“We’re going to bring it to the board and discuss it with the board and then implement it,” Klavenes said in an interview with The Times published Thursday.
“To me, it should be in the same realm as ethics complaints.”
President Trump’s involvement in the Balogun incident has sparked controversy.
Balogun was given an automatic suspension for the game against Belgium after receiving a red card in the last-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
However, FIFA intervened and suspended the player’s suspension, leading to widespread condemnation, especially after it was revealed that President Trump had intervened by calling Infantino.
Belgium emerged inspired by this brawl and defeated the co-hosts 4-1.
“When you bend the rules like this, you’re on a slippery slope that puts the entire game at risk,” Craveness said.
“Violating the fundamental rules of the game is a concern for the game.
“First of all, this should not happen and it is very important that we have honest communication on this matter right now.
“Everyone knows that this judgment was influenced by outside forces and that due process was not followed.”
“We need the FIFA leadership to say this was a mistake,” she added.
“Under the carpet”
Klavenes, a former Norwegian international and NFF president from 2022, said bowing down for a head of state was a dangerous precedent.
“When you start to adapt that way to state leaders and state politics, it moves the line on what you do, what your organization does, and what state leaders should intervene in,” she said.
“And that’s what happened.”
Clavenes was also not impressed that, according to the Times, the decision to suspend the ban was taken solely by Mohammad Al Kamali, the head of FIFA’s disciplinary committee, who did not consult other members.
“When you’re making controversial decisions, and when you’re hearing very powerful voices from the outside, it’s really important to have more voices[making decisions],” she said.
“If you don’t, it’s a mistake.”
Mr Craveness said the issue could not simply be ignored and forgotten.
“Trying to cover this up now won’t work,” the 45-year-old lawyer said.
“Too many people — coaches, players, fans — felt this was too close a game.”
Clavenes, who says he is not a candidate to run against Infantino in next year’s presidential election, is equally critical of the South American proposal to increase the number of teams in the finals from 48 to 64.
Norway reached the final for the first time in 28 years, but lost to England in the quarterfinals.
“A small country like us, which hasn’t hosted one in 20 years, has shown that the World Cup can be expanded to 48 teams,” Klavenes said.
“It’s not in the interest of football or even rational to start talking about 64 teams now. 48 teams was a big change.
“If we brought the discussion to 64 now and people in power said that, there would be distrust.
“The World Cup should not interfere with domestic leagues and federations any more than it does today.”
