Peter Willems dismissed as CEO of Belgian Football Association

Peter Willems has been dismissed as CEO of the Royal Belgian Football Association following a prolonged period of internal tension and a breakdown in trust with President Pascale Van Damme. The decision was finalized during an urgent board meeting in Tubize.

The conflict reportedly stemmed from Willems criticizing Van Damme’s leadership style, not only to her directly but also to representatives from UEFA and FIFA. Tensions were exacerbated by disagreements regarding protocol during the 2026 World Cup and the handling of the Folarin Balogun case.

Additionally, the board raised concerns regarding the Fenix project, a digital platform that has faced significant delays and cost overruns. Despite these leadership issues, Willems leaves the organization during a period of strong financial performance. Under his management, the association moved from a 12 million euro loss to an expected profit of approximately 7 to 8 million euros, driven by record commercial revenues and cost-cutting measures.