World Cup 2026: USA President Donald Trump says he called FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to have Folarin Balogun’s red-card ban reviewed ahead of Belgium tie | Football News

President Donald Trump says he asked FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to “review” Folarin Balogun’s red card and World Cup ban, which has since been suspended, allowing the USA striker to play in the last-16 tie with Belgium.

FIFA president Infantino has subsequently defended the independence of FIFA’s disciplinary committee.

The Belgian FA said they were “astonished” by the decision to suspend Balogun’s ban for a year, freeing him up to feature in Seattle when the teams meet at 1am UK time on Tuesday.

However, FIFA has rejected their attempts to appeal the call, saying: “The request was rendered inadmissible on the grounds that the (Belgian FA) is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision”.

The RBFA has informed the United States Soccer Federation that it contests the eligibility of the player, should the player be listed on the referee’s team sheet. This leaves all further actions open.

On Monday, UEFA said FIFA had “crossed a red line” and had put the “integrity of the game at stake” in allowing Balogun to play against Belgium.

Balogun, who has scored three times at this World Cup, was sent off after scoring the opener in USA’s last-32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, when he caught Tarik Muharemovic with his studs in a challenge. A red card automatically incurs a ban for the next World Cup game.

Trump: Ban was “very unfair” and ref “a little bit suspect”

Speaking on Monday, Trump said: “I saw the play… that wasn’t a foul, that wasn’t even an infraction, that was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other.

“You can’t take your foot and properly place it on somebody else’s foot. These were two great athletes that got tangled up.

“This referee [Raphael Claus], who is a little bit suspect, if you check his past, he made a call that nobody could believe.

“He [Balogun] didn’t do anything wrong and he’s our best player, or one of our best players… and [the referee] gave him a red card.

“It’s very unfair, you can’t do that. So, yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. I spoke to a man who’s highly respected [Infantino] and by the way, whose level of respect has gone up tenfold.”

Trump didn’t give examples to back up his comment on the referee. Claus was cleared by a Brazil Football Confederation investigation into match fixing after accusations by Botafogo in 2023.

Infantino confirms call with Trump but says FIFA disciplinary committee is independent

Infantino has issued a defence of the governing body’s disciplinary committee, insisting it is independent, despite confirming Trump called him about overturning Balogun’s ban.

In a statement, Infantino said: “I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun, and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA’s governance.

“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.

“Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues.

“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.

“I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.

“What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times.”

Former FIFA President Blatter slams Balogun decision

Taking to social media, former FIFA President Sepp Blatter also criticised the decision and asked where FIFA would go next following the decision.

Blatter, who ruled as president between 1998-2015, insisted that football could not become a “playground for political power.”

“Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies,” a post on Blatter’s X account read.

“If a US President intervenes with the FIFA President – and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match – the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis (where are you going), FIFA?

“Football must never become a playground for political power.”

Blatter’s reign as FIFA president ended when he was banned from football for an initial eight years, reduced to six on appeal, in regard to a payment made to Michel Platini.

Both men were cleared in the Swiss courts of wrongdoing in regard to the payment, which they have always insisted was back payment for work Platini had done as an advisor to Blatter.

A further six-year suspension was imposed on Blatter by FIFA’s ethics committee in 2021 in relation to other breaches of its ethics code.

‘Where does this end?’ – Tuchel reacts to Trump’s call to FIFA to reinstate Balogun

England boss Thomas Tuchel had his say on the decision after Jarell Quansah was sent off against Mexico on Monday and is now set to face a one-match ban for the quarter-final against Norway.

In his post-match press conference, Tuchel said: “Where to draw the line? That’s the question I ask and I have no answer to that – where does it end?

“Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Do we not think it’s not a red card – where does it start and where does it end?”

When asked if Harry Kane could ask Trump to help get Quansah’s red card overturned, he replied, somewhat ironically: “Maybe. That’s a good start.”

Meanwhile, Downing Street said World Cup disciplinary decisions should remain a matter for FIFA. Asked whether Trump’s reported actions were acceptable, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Those decisions are a matter for the football world governing body and should stay that way, and we are clear in that position.”

‘I fully expected Balogun to get three-match ban’

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher speaking on Sky Sports News:

“I was really surprised. I think it’s a red card because it has endangered the safety of an opponent. I don’t think for one second he meant to do it, but it’s about consequence. If you catch someone on the Achilles with your studs, that’s dangerous.

“The FIFA rules are very interesting because, once you’re sent off, unless it’s mistaken identity – which it clearly wasn’t – you serve a minimum one-match ban and then it’s upgraded according to the offence.

“I know for a fact, if this was in the Premier League, he’s going to get a three-match ban. He can appeal as much as he wants, but it’s not going to be overturned. That’s what surprised me because I fully expected Balogun to get a three-match ban.

“I get it if they decide, our rules are for one match and then we decide to upgrade. The red card stands but the suspension doesn’t, that’s the confusing thing.

“I’m as confused as you are. Why they’ve decided to go down this road, I don’t know.

“But, without doubt, once people get involved, like Thomas Tuchel, they will have to come out and explain why they have done this. It will be interesting, when a statement comes out, what we find out.”

How Balogun benefited from the same rule as Ronaldo

FIFA’s intervention to allow Balogun to play is similar to a move it made last year, which allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to play from the start of this World Cup.

The Portugal captain faced a three-game ban for an elbow on Republic of Ireland’s Dara O’Shea during a World Cup qualifier. Ronaldo was set to be banned for the first two games of this World Cup as a result.

However, FIFA suspended the final two games of the ban.

FIFA cited article 27 of its rules in that case and again for Balogun. It allows FIFA to “fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.”

In a statement on Balogun, FIFA said: “The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

After the announcement, President Donald Trump posted on social media saying: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice.”

A social media account for The White House reposted Trump’s message on X, adding the words: “USA-USA-USA”.