Trump Says He Requested FIFA Review After Red Card Decision Is Reversed

By Reporter

WASHINGTON, July 6 — U.S. President Donald Trump said he asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the red-card decision against U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, arguing that the referee had made the wrong call.

Speaking to reporters, Trump said his role was limited to requesting a review and denied directing or pressuring FIFA to change the outcome.

“I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said. “The decision was theirs.”

FIFA subsequently lifted Balogun’s automatic one-match suspension, allowing the forward to remain eligible for the United States’ next match. The organization said the decision was made under its disciplinary procedures.

The reversal has prompted criticism from football officials, commentators, and fans, with some accusing FIFA of allowing political considerations to influence what should have been an independent disciplinary decision. Critics argued that the timing of the reversal, following Trump’s public acknowledgment that he had contacted Infantino, created the appearance of political interference in football’s judicial process.

FIFA has not said that Trump’s request influenced its decision, and there is no public evidence demonstrating that political pressure determined the outcome. The governing body has maintained that the case was handled in accordance with its disciplinary rules.

The episode has become one of the tournament’s most contentious off-field controversies, fueling renewed debate over the need for transparency and independence in football governance and the extent to which political leaders should engage with sporting authorities.