During an official FIFA reception held in New York, Donald Trump unveiled what transpired in his conversation with Gianni Infantino, the head of FIFA, that led to the rescindment of a red card issued to American forward Folarin Balogun during the 2026 World Cup.
At the event, as reported by Univision's Canal N+, Trump shared that in his call with Infantino, he said, "Gianni, I have a suggestion for you." Following this, with a commanding tone, he humorously suggested to the FIFA president, "Let the guy play that game!"
However, Trump clarified that his words were meant in jest and he simply wanted to lodge a complaint with the organization. "I had no idea what the outcome would be, but it turned out better than expected. There was no controversy. They won, and our team played with all its members."
During his speech, Trump told Infantino, "You'll never get credit for this, but you made another great decision."
A Controversial Incident on the Field
The controversy began on July 2 when Balogun received a direct red card in the 64th minute of the round of 16 match between the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina for a tackle on defender Tarik Muharemovic. Initially, the referee did not issue the card, but VAR prompted the expulsion. Balogun, the tournament's top scorer for his team with four goals, had scored in the 45th minute of that same game. Despite playing with ten men, the U.S. secured a 2-0 victory.
The following day, Trump personally contacted Infantino to demand a review of the penalty, arguing it was unjust to suspend a player for an upcoming match. "It's one thing to penalize someone for a game, but how do you penalize them for a game that hasn't happened? It's very unfair," Trump stated on July 6.
Trump's Lack of Soccer Knowledge
During the press briefing, Trump admitted his lack of understanding regarding soccer rules: "I didn’t even know what the heck a red card was. When it was explained to me, I said: It has to be a joke."
On July 5, FIFA overturned the penalty based on Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, converting it into a $40,000 fine and a conditional one-year suspension. Trump celebrated this decision on Truth Social: "Thank you to FIFA for doing the right thing and reversing a great injustice."
International Reaction and Backlash
The decision sparked an international outcry. UEFA issued a stern statement declaring that FIFA had "crossed a red line" by yielding to political pressure. Belgium, taken aback by the decision, formally protested and appealed the reversal, albeit unsuccessfully. Although Balogun was able to play in the quarterfinals, the U.S. was ousted by Belgium on July 6.
This incident marks the first recorded instance of a U.S. president intervening with FIFA to overturn a sports sanction at a World Cup.
At Saturday's reception, Trump also received the inaugural FIFA "Peace Award," presented by Infantino himself. He seized the opportunity to reiterate his allegations of election fraud: "They stole the election. And what did I get? I got the World Cup. I got the Olympics. And I brought them here."
Understanding the 2026 World Cup Soccer Controversy
What was the reason behind Folarin Balogun's red card?
Folarin Balogun received a red card for a tackle on defender Tarik Muharemovic during the round of 16 match between the U.S. and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
How did FIFA justify overturning the red card?
FIFA reversed the red card decision based on Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, imposing a $40,000 fine and a conditional one-year suspension instead.
How did UEFA react to FIFA's decision?
UEFA issued a strong statement claiming that FIFA had crossed a line by succumbing to political pressure, leading to an international controversy.