Trump‑Infantino FIFA red‑card controversy

In late July 2026 the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) announced it would file a formal complaint with FIFA after U.S. President Donald Trump phoned FIFA president Gianni Infantino during the World Cup and asked for a review of the automatic one‑match suspension handed to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun for a red card. Following the call, Infantino suspended the ban for twelve months, allowing Balogun to play in the next round. The NFF said it would seek accountability for both Trump and Infantino before FIFA’s ethics committee and urged Infantino to acknowledge the decision as a mistake.

A few days later the International Olympic Committee (IOC) responded to a separate FairSquare complaint that alleged Infantino breached the Olympic Charter’s political‑neutrality rule by acting on Trump’s request. The IOC clarified that the matter falls outside its ethics commission’s jurisdiction, which is limited to conduct within the Olympic movement, and therefore it would not investigate the allegation. In the same period Infantino used Instagram to defend the tournament, denounce critics and draw attention to travel‑ban issues affecting several national teams, while noting ongoing U.S. investigations into FIFA ticketing practices.