Trump’s call prompts FIFA to lift Balogun’s World Cup red card

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, United States forward Folarin Balogun was sent off in the round‑of‑16 match against Belgium after receiving a red card in the earlier knockout round versus Bosnia‑Herzegovina. FIFA’s disciplinary committee suspended the one‑match ban, a decision that followed a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump to FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Trump thanked Infantino, saying “you made a great decision,” and claimed he had asked only for a review because he thought the foul “was not even a foul.”

Balogun later told reporters at New York’s Fanatics Fest that the news of his reinstatement seemed “unreal” and that “at first I thought it was a joke.” He described the moment of receiving the original red card as “shocking.”

The reversal sparked criticism from UEFA, which described the move as “crossing a red line” and “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” Liberal Democrat politicians in the United Kingdom called for the English FA and UEFA to consider withdrawing from FIFA over this and other governance concerns. The United States eventually lost 4‑1 to Belgium and was eliminated, while the controversy fueled broader debates about FIFA’s governance, ticket pricing, and planned halftime entertainment.