Trump admits contacting FIFA over Folarin Balogun red card as World Cup controversy erupts
A dramatic intervention by US President Donald Trump has plunged the FIFA World Cup into controversy after he admitted contacting FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun.
The extraordinary revelation comes just hours before the USA’s crucial Round of 16 clash against Belgium, raising serious questions about the independence of FIFA’s disciplinary process and the integrity of one of football’s biggest tournaments.
Trump confirmed on Monday that he personally spoke to Infantino after Balogun was sent off, insisting that he merely asked for the incident to be reviewed and did not attempt to influence the final decision.
Despite those assurances, FIFA later overturned Balogun’s automatic one match suspension, clearing the striker to face Belgium in one of the tournament’s most anticipated knockout fixtures.
The decision has sparked widespread criticism and intensified scrutiny of football’s governing body.
European football’s governing body, UEFA, responded with a strongly worded statement, accusing FIFA of crossing a “red line” and describing the decision as “incomprehensible and unjustifiable”. UEFA warned that overturning the suspension risks damaging both the integrity of the game and the credibility of the World Cup.
Belgium’s camp has also expressed frustration ahead of the match, questioning the sudden reversal of what is normally an automatic disciplinary sanction.
Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump defended his actions and criticised Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, suggesting the official’s decisions deserved closer examination.
“All I did was ask for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said.
“I didn’t tell him what to do. I can’t tell him what to do.
“I’m a person that loves sports and was a good athlete. I understand sports really well. Really well. That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. These were two great athletes that got tangled up. If he punched him in the face, I’d feel differently.”
Trump also questioned FIFA’s automatic suspension rules, arguing that it was unfair for a player to miss a future match before any appeal had been considered.
He then added another political twist to the controversy, linking the outcome of the match to his long-standing claims about the 2020 US presidential election.
“We’re going to have a full team, and Belgium is going to have a full team,” Trump said.
“If they beat us, then they can be really proud. The other way, if they beat us, I say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020.”
Following growing criticism, FIFA President Gianni Infantino acknowledged receiving the call from the White House but insisted the organisation’s disciplinary structures remain independent.
“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent,” Infantino said, adding that disciplinary matters are decided by autonomous panels operating under FIFA’s regulations.
Trump also maintained that an independent committee made the final decision to overturn Balogun’s suspension.
However, the central question remains unanswered.
Neither Trump nor FIFA has explained which provision of the FIFA Disciplinary Code allowed Balogun’s automatic suspension to be rescinded after the intervention became public.
That lack of clarity is likely to fuel further debate over whether football’s governing body has set a troubling precedent by overturning a major disciplinary decision on the eve of a knockout match.
With kickoff against Belgium fast approaching, Balogun has now been cleared to start, but the controversy surrounding his availability threatens to overshadow one of the biggest fixtures of the tournament.
