United States President Donald Trump has confirmed he personally asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the red card shown to Folarin Balogun, a decision that has stirred fresh controversy at the World Cup.
Balogun had been set to miss the United States’ last-16 match against Belgium after receiving a straight red card in the Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. FIFA later suspended the one-match ban for one year, clearing the striker to play.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said he felt the decision deserved another look because he did not believe Balogun had committed a foul.
“I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump told reporters. He added that he did not instruct FIFA to overturn the punishment.
Trump described the incident as two players running at speed and colliding, arguing that it should not have resulted in a sending-off. He also said he had not initially realised that a straight red card would automatically rule Balogun out of the next match.
Under FIFA rules, a straight red card normally carries an automatic one-match suspension. Such bans cannot be appealed by the player’s team, which made FIFA’s decision to suspend the punishment particularly contentious.
Balogun had been dismissed after a video review for stepping on the ankle of Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic during the USA’s 2-0 victory. The United States Soccer Federation had not challenged the sanction, and Balogun had reportedly accepted the punishment before FIFA’s disciplinary committee intervened.
Trump’s comments came after reports in the United States said senior administration figures had lobbied around the case. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also publicly called for the red card to be rescinded.
FIFA has not offered a detailed public explanation for the decision, saying only that the ban would be suspended for a year. Balogun will serve the suspension only if he commits a similar offence during that period.
The ruling angered Belgian football officials, who said they were astonished by the decision and were reviewing possible options. Belgium are due to face the United States with Balogun now available for selection.
The striker has been one of the USA’s most important players at the tournament, scoring three goals so far. His absence would have been a major blow to the co-hosts heading into one of their biggest World Cup matches in years.
Trump welcomed the outcome, saying both teams would now have full squads. He also repeated his view that the original decision was unfair, while criticising the referee who issued the red card.
The episode has raised wider questions about political influence, FIFA’s disciplinary process and consistency in applying tournament rules.
For the United States, the immediate sporting benefit is clear. Balogun can play against Belgium. For FIFA, however, the decision has created a debate that is unlikely to end with the final whistle.
