Just three phone calls from Trump and FIFA overturned the American star’s red card
Three phone calls from US President Donald Trump were enough for FIFA to overturn Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban, according to multiple reports, sending the United States forward to face Belgium in Monday’s World Cup round of 16 clash and sparking one of the biggest controversies of the tournament.
Trump personally called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review Balogun’s appeal, with The Guardian reporting that the US president had made three phone calls since last Wednesday. The Associated Press and CBS News also reported that Trump intervened before FIFA lifted the mandatory suspension that followed the striker’s red card.
Balogun, the United States’ top scorer with three goals in the tournament, was sent off in the 2-0 Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina after catching defender Tarik Muharemovic in the ankle with his studs. The decision, which was upheld after a VAR review, meant he was set to miss the last 16 match against Belgium.
However, FIFA announced on Sunday that the suspension would not be applied immediately, so Balogun is available for the United States’ biggest game of the tournament so far.
Trump welcomed the decision on Truth Social. “I thank FIFA for doing the right thing and reversing a great injustice,” he wrote. Trump applauds FIFA’s decision to overturn Balogun’s suspension ahead of USA’s 16th game with Belgium (Photo X/@WhiteHouse)
The United States unit learned of Balogun’s suspension while en route to training in Seattle. “We only found out about it here,” Christian Pulisic told reporters. “At first you think, ‘Really, is this real?’ And then, ‘Oh, that’s great news’.”
American coach Mauricio Pochettino also supported FIFA’s decision.
“I think 99.9% of people in football said it was an unfair penalty,” Pochettino said. “There is evidence from the past that allows the sentence to be suspended and served at a later date. I’m glad because that would be unfair.”
BELGIUM FURIOUS AT FIFA’S DECISION
The decision prompted an angry reaction from Belgium ahead of Monday’s knockout game.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “stunned” by FIFA’s decision and had begun exploring its legal options.
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia questioned the governing body’s decision.
“I didn’t know that in the FIFA offices, the fifth of July is the first of April in Europe,” Garcia said through a translator.
“The Belgian federation is not defending itself. It is defending football in general, its integrity and its ethics. I think this is the first time in the history of the World Cup that such a decision has been made.”
The RBFA said FIFA’s decision was against its own rules, citing Article 66.4 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, which states that a suspended player must automatically miss the team’s next match.
The federation pointed to the 2026 FIFA World Cup competition regulations, which state: “If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second warning), he will automatically be sent off from his team’s next match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed.”
The Belgian federation added that the rule was applied consistently throughout the tournament and said it was reviewing its options to protect the sporting integrity of the competition.
HOW DID FIFA CAUSE THE CANCELLATION?
FIFA said the decision was taken under Article 27 of its disciplinary code, which allows its judicial authorities to suspend the implementation of certain sanctions.
“In accordance with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,” FIFA said in a statement.
“If Folarin Balogun commits another violation of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension will be lifted and the penalty enforced without prejudice to any additional penalty imposed for the new violation.”
FIFA did not convert Balogun’s red card. Instead, he suspended the one-game suspension, meaning it will only take effect if he commits a similar offense during his one-year probation.
The governing body did not explain why Balogun’s case required exceptional treatment while all other players suspended during the 2026 World Cup served their punishments.
WHY FIFA’S DECISION IS CONTROVERSIAL
The decision sparked a debate about FIFA’s disciplinary process.
According to reports, there have been 189 red cards in the history of the World Cup. Balogun became only the second player to avoid punishment after being sent off.
The only previous instance happened in 1962, when Brazil’s Garrincha was sent off in the semi-final against Chile, but allowed to play in the final against Czechoslovakia. However, there was no automatic suspension rule at the time. The decision was taken by a disciplinary committee and was later surrounded by allegations of political interference.
Balogun’s case is different, as current FIFA rules clearly provide for a mandatory one-match ban following a straight red card. Every other player banned for the 2026 World Cup has served this penalty.
The decision also raised broader questions. Why did Balogun get relief while the other 11 players banned from this tournament did not? Will more teams seek similar treatment now? And does it set a precedent for future World Cups?
SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR US?
One of the cornerstones of the FIFA World Cup disciplinary process is that red card suspensions cannot be appealed during the tournament. That is why Balogun’s case attracted so much attention.
His sending off against Bosnia and Herzegovina caused outrage in the United States, with several media claiming that he was essentially punished twice by missing the last 27 minutes of that match as well as the round of 16 encounter against Belgium.
The matter quickly reached the highest levels of the US government. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States “screwed up with that red card” and argued there should be an appeals process.
Trump later spoke directly with Infantino, according to CBS News. White House World Cup Task Force Executive Director Andrew Giuliani and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick were also in contact with FIFA about the incident.
Trump thanked FIFA after lifting the suspension, calling it a reversal of a “great injustice”.
But the biggest question is why FIFA chose to exercise discretion in Balogun’s case when every other player suspended at this World Cup has served the standard punishment.
The decision also renewed scrutiny of FIFA’s relationship with the United States, one of the tournament’s co-hosts. FIFA’s statutes prohibit political interference in soccer, and the involvement of high-ranking members of the US administration is sure to intensify debate over the governing body’s decision-making.
Balogun will now be available against Belgium but Monday’s last 16 tie will be played against the backdrop of one of the biggest controversies of the tournament. Whatever the outcome, FIFA’s decision and the role the White House played before it is likely to remain one of the defining talking points of the 2026 World Cup.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
06 Jul 2026 10:46 IST