The 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico saw all three host nations stopped in the round of 16.
On the morning of July 7th, Beijing time, in a round of 16 match, USA player Balogun, who received a red card in the previous game, was allowed to play. Ultimately, Belgium defeated the USA 4-1, advancing to the quarter-finals where they will face Spain.
Throughout the match, the USA team played very conservatively, nearly getting overwhelmed by Belgium. The atmosphere at the home stadium in Seattle was also quite subdued.
On July 5th, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced that USA forward Balogun, who received a red card in the previous game, would be eligible to play in the round of 16 match against Belgium. The suspension was temporarily suspended, with a one-year probation period.
Multiple sources have revealed that former US President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino, requesting a review of Balogun’s red card.
Infantino, who has previously faced investigation by the FIFA Ethics Committee for being too close to Trump, has been criticized by several organizations for repeatedly violating FIFA’s principle of political neutrality. However, Infantino believes it’s crucial for the FIFA President to build friendly relations with the leaders of the host country.
In a previous 2-0 win over Bosnia, Balogun was shown a red card for stepping on the ankle of Bosnian player Muharemovic. The US Soccer Federation and related parties did not contest the decision, but Trump argued it was a normal play and not a foul.
Trump himself is a huge fan of multiple sports. Critics point out that he often uses sports as a platform to showcase power and push his political and cultural war agendas, even willing to intervene in the rules to ensure victory, similar to his stance on trade policies.
The furious Belgian Football Association filed a complaint with FIFA. The Belgian FA and coach Garcia publicly called for upholding the moral standards and fair play spirit of football, opposing political forces’ arbitrary interference in tournament rules that undermines the World Cup’s credibility. The FIFA Appeals Committee ultimately dismissed the complaint, stating that “the Belgian FA is not a relevant party in the procedure and lacks the standing to appeal.”
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter posted on social media, denouncing that football should not become a playground for political power. A red card should not be overturned because of a phone call from a political figure, but only based on rules, evidence, and rulings from independent bodies.
According to Article 66.4 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, Balogun should have been suspended for one match, with no room for flexibility. FIFA stated that the basis for the “amnesty” decision was Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. The priority of these two rules is not clearly defined. Article 27 is not explicitly excluded from the automatic suspension scenario for red cards, allowing the Disciplinary Committee to directly override the mandatory provisions of specific articles like 66.4.
In fact, this is not the first time FIFA has deliberately greenlit a star player’s participation. During the World Cup qualifiers last year, in a match between Portugal and Ireland, Ronaldo received the first red card of his national team career for elbowing a defender. FIFA again invoked Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code for a “probationary” treatment, allowing Ronaldo to play in all group stage matches of the 2026 World Cup.
The ever-changing World Cup finals have seen their share of controversies, such as Maradona’s “Hand of God” and Zidane’s headbutt, but these were confined to the match itself. There has never been a precedent of a political leader from outside the field pressuring FIFA. As the head of the host government, Trump’s intervention could set a dangerous precedent that other countries or hosts might follow.
