Trump's Call to FIFA President Over US Player Ban Sparks Controversy

US President Donald Trump has reportedly intervened in World Cup matters, contacting FIFA President Gianni Infantino directly regarding a red card issued to American player Folarin Balogun. According to a New York Times report citing three anonymous sources familiar with the matter, Trump called Infantino to request a review of the decision.

The incident occurred during the round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia, where Balogun received a straight red card for accidentally stepping on Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic in a 2-0 victory. Under FIFA rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-match suspension, which cannot be appealed by the player’s team. This meant Balogun would have been ineligible for the round of 16 match against Belgium.

However, on Sunday, FIFA made the extraordinary decision to suspend the ban for one year, allowing Balogun to continue playing. Trump celebrated the move on his Truth Social platform, writing, “Thank you to FIFA for doing the right thing, and reversing a great injustice!”

The decision was met with immediate backlash from Belgian football officials. The Royal Belgian Football Association expressed shock, stating the move “directly contradicts” FIFA’s own regulations and that they are “investigating all potential options” to protect the rights of participating teams and the principles of fair play. Belgium coach Rudi Garcia added sarcastically, “I didn’t know that at the World Cup, 5 July becomes 1 April and it’s April Fools’ Day.” The suspension was lifted by FIFA’s disciplinary committee following public calls from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio for the card to be rescinded.