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President Trump says he asked FIFA for a review of Balogun’s red card, calling the call “not a foul”
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Politics/The Apex Times/Jul 6, 10:34 AM EDT

President Trump says he asked FIFA for a review of Balogun’s red card, calling the call “not a foul”

During an Oval Office appearance, President Donald Trump defended a reported phone call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino after Folarin Balogun’s one-game World Cup suspension was reversed ahead of the United States’ match against Belgium.

3 min readEditor-approved Apex article

President Donald Trump defended a reported phone call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino about U.S. men’s national team forward Folarin Balogun’s red card, telling reporters in the Oval Office of the White House that “it wasn’t a foul.” The president said he did not understand the meaning of the “red card” decision at the time and said he “asked for a review” because he believed Balogun’s challenge should not have resulted in a sending-off.

The remarks came shortly after multiple outlets reported that Trump’s call helped prompt FIFA to reverse the one-game suspension that would have prevented Balogun from playing against Belgium. CNBC reported Trump’s comments about the call and his view of the on-field incident, framing the issue around the referee’s decision and the subsequent disciplinary outcome for the tournament.

According to reporting cited by The Athletic, Balogun received a straight red card after a foul on defender Tarik Muharemovic during the United States’ victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under FIFA’s tournament disciplinary rules, the Athletic reported that the red card carried an automatic one-game suspension, and that a team generally could not appeal a red card and its resulting ban during the competition.

The Athletic reported that FIFA later confirmed Balogun’s eligibility to play after rescinding the suspension. That report also described FIFA’s rationale as implemented through the tournament disciplinary framework, stating that “the implementation of the match suspension” was suspended for a probationary period of one year. The Athletic’s account added that if Balogun commits another infringement of similar nature and gravity during that probationary period, the original suspension would be applied.

Other coverage said the call occurred after Wednesday’s match and that FIFA approached with the review request. NBC News distributed a video segment of Trump discussing the call and the request for review, while The New York Times’ associated reporting described the call as a factor in FIFA’s decision.

Reaction to FIFA’s reversal, according to additional contemporaneous reporting, included criticism from at least some football observers and officials. For example, The Hill reported that Norway’s coach viewed FIFA’s decision as harmful to the World Cup, characterizing it as a mistake. Those responses, however, did not change FIFA’s reported eligibility determination for Balogun’s next match.

No White House release or Federal Register notice has been provided in the available record confirming the president’s intervention in official terms beyond contemporaneous media accounts and on-camera remarks, and the league’s disciplinary framework remains the operative reference for how the suspension was modified. The next confirmed step for the U.S. team is to deploy Balogun against Belgium, with tournament disciplinary consequences governed by FIFA’s disciplinary code as applied in the revised decision.

Why It Matters

  • The decision affects tournament roster availability for the United States at the World Cup, changing who can play against Belgium.
  • The episode raises questions about when and how FIFA disciplinary outcomes can be revisited after sanctions are issued, including the role of review processes versus appeal limits.
  • Because the practical outcome is tied to FIFA’s disciplinary code, the implementation terms and probation conditions govern future eligibility and potential reinstatement of suspension.

Sources

Key Facts

  • President Donald Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that a red card decision involving Folarin Balogun “wasn’t a foul” and said he “asked for a review.”
  • CNBC reported Trump’s comments tied to an alleged phone call with FIFA President Gianni Infantino that led to a reversal of Balogun’s one-game World Cup suspension.
  • The Athletic reported Balogun’s straight red card came in the U.S. win over Bosnia and Herzegovina and that the suspension was initially automatic under FIFA rules for the tournament.
  • The Athletic reported FIFA suspended the implementation of the match suspension for a probationary period of one year, rather than imposing the one-game ban.
  • The Athletic reported that teams were not generally able to appeal a red card and its resulting suspension during the competition.