U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed he personally asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review a red card shown to American striker Folarin Balogun at the 2026 World Cup, though both men insist the call did not influence FIFA's eventual decision to lift the ban.
Balogun, the USA's top scorer at the tournament, was sent off in the 64th minute of the round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina for a challenge officials deemed a dangerous foul, a card that should have ruled him out of Tuesday's last-16 clash with Belgium.
But FIFA announced Sunday it was suspending the one-match ban for a year, clearing Balogun to play.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said he asked for a review because he didn't believe the challenge was a foul, describing it as two players colliding at speed rather than an infraction, though he stressed he only requested a review and did not demand the card be overturned.
Infantino, in a statement, acknowledged taking the call but said the matter was handled by FIFA's independent disciplinary process regardless of outside pressure.
He noted he regularly fields calls from heads of state and stakeholders on World Cup matters, and that he sometimes agrees and sometimes disagrees with the disciplinary committee's rulings when they are announced.
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from European football authorities.
UEFA accused FIFA of crossing a "red line," warning the ruling sets a troubling precedent, while the Belgian football association said it is exploring "all potential options" to challenge the verdict before Tuesday's match.
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