The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has announced plans to lodge a formal complaint with FIFA’s Ethics Committee over the decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s World Cup ban, describing the move as a threat to the integrity of football.
NFF President Lise Klaveness said the matter would be presented to the federation’s board before a formal complaint is submitted.
Speaking to The Times, Klaveness argued that altering disciplinary decisions under external influence could undermine confidence in football’s governance.
According to her, the federation believes the incident should never have occurred and deserves a full review by FIFA’s ethics body.
The controversy stems from FIFA’s decision to suspend Balogun’s automatic ban after the striker was sent off during the United States’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The suspension allowed Balogun to feature against Belgium, a decision that sparked criticism from several quarters after reports claimed that United States President Donald Trump had personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the matter.
Neither FIFA nor Infantino has publicly acknowledged that external political influence affected the disciplinary ruling.
Klaveness warned that changing football regulations in such circumstances could set a dangerous precedent.
“When you bend a rule like this, you’re on a slippery slope that will put the whole game at risk,” she said.
She also questioned the disciplinary process, saying controversial decisions should involve broader consultation rather than being made by a single official.
According to reports, the decision to suspend Balogun’s ban was taken by FIFA Disciplinary Committee chairman Mohammad Al-Kamali without consulting other committee members.
Klaveness argued that decisions with significant implications for the sport should follow transparent procedures, particularly when public confidence is at stake.
She further urged FIFA to openly acknowledge any mistakes if errors were made, insisting the issue should not be ignored.
Beyond the Balogun controversy, the Norwegian football chief also criticised proposals to expand the FIFA World Cup from 48 to 64 teams.
She said the recent expansion to 48 nations had already provided opportunities for more countries to participate and warned that a further increase could place additional pressure on domestic football calendars.
Norway returned to the FIFA World Cup after a 28-year absence and reached the quarter-finals before being eliminated by England.
The outcome of the proposed ethics complaint could place renewed scrutiny on FIFA’s disciplinary procedures and governance ahead of the organisation’s presidential election next year.