FIFA announced on July 5th that American striker Balogun, who received a red card in the previous match, is now eligible to play in the World Cup round of 16 against Belgium. The suspension has been deferred for a one-year probationary period.
The U.S. team will face Belgium in Seattle on the morning of July 7th for the knockout stage. Balogun is the team’s offensive core, and his absence would seriously weaken their attack.
Multiple sources have revealed that former U.S. President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the red card. After getting a favorable result, Trump posted on social media: “Thank you FIFA for making the right decision and correcting this great injustice.”
The Belgian Football Association responded, saying they were “shocked” by FIFA’s decision. They are actively preparing materials to challenge the ruling. Belgian officials and coach Garcia publicly called for defending football’s moral standards and fair play, opposing any political interference that could damage the World Cup’s credibility.
UEFA has taken a strong stance against FIFA’s decision, calling it a “unprecedented, baffling, and unjustified” move that crosses the line of the rules. They argue it sets a dangerous precedent for the World Cup, threatening the execution of rules in all future international events.
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter took to social media to lash out, saying football should not be a playground for political power. He insisted that red cards should only be overturned based on rules, evidence, and independent bodies, not a phone call from a politician.
Former England star Wayne Rooney publicly slammed the situation as a disgrace to football. He pointed out that if other players received red cards during the tournament, they would still have to serve their suspensions, completely breaking the fairness of the rules.
In the previous 2-0 win over Bosnia, Balogun was sent off with a red card after stepping on the ankle of Bosnian player Muharemovic.
According to Article 66.4 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, Balogun should have been suspended for one match without any flexibility. FIFA justified the “pardon” under Article 27 of the same code, which allows for partial or full suspension of penalties during a probation period. If Balogun commits a similar offense again, the deferral will be revoked, and additional penalties will apply.
These two rules do not clearly define which takes precedence. Article 27 is not explicitly excluded from red card automatic suspension scenarios, allowing the disciplinary committee to override the mandatory provisions of Article 66.4.
This isn’t the first time FIFA has bent the rules for a star player. During World Cup qualifiers last year, Cristiano Ronaldo received his first red card in national team matches for elbowing an opponent. FIFA also used Article 27 to give him a “probation,” allowing him to play in all group stage matches of the 2026 World Cup.
Historically, the World Cup has seen plenty of controversies, like Maradona’s “Hand of God” or Zidane’s headbutt, but these were all about the game itself. There has never been a precedent of a foreign political leader putting pressure on FIFA. As a host nation leader, Trump’s involvement could set an example for other countries or hosts to follow.
Beyond the dispute over FIFA’s standards and transparency, people are also questioning the close relationship between Trump and Infantino.
Trump is a passionate fan of many sports, including fighting, wrestling, NBA, football, and American football. Critics argue he often uses sports as a platform to showcase power, pushing his political and cultural battles, even willing to change rules to win, much like his stance on trade.
Infantino, who worked for UEFA before becoming FIFA President in 2016, has been publicly praised by Trump as the “King of Football.” The two first met during the U.S. bid for the 2018 World Cup. Infantino once said that without Trump, the World Cup couldn’t have been held in the U.S. He even set up a FIFA office in New York’s Trump Tower and personally awarded Trump the first FIFA Peace Award to make up for his Nobel Prize disappointment.
Infantino now faces an investigation by FIFA’s Ethics Committee for his overly close ties with Trump. Several organizations have complained that he repeatedly violated FIFA’s political neutrality principles. However, Infantino believes that building a friendly relationship with the host country’s leader is crucial.
In 2015, FIFA was rocked by a massive scandal. The U.S. Department of Justice, along with Swiss police, launched a major anti-corruption operation, resulting in charges against 42 football officials and sums exceeding $100 million. The scandal revealed deep systemic corruption, including fraud, money laundering, and massive bribery related to World Cup bidding, broadcasting rights, and marketing deals.
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