FIFA is facing mounting criticism after clearing United States striker Folarin Balogun to play in Monday’s World Cup round-of-16 match against Belgium, after U.S. President Donald Trump personally urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review his red-card case, according to a source briefed on the call. Balogun had been expected to miss the match following his sending-off in the Americans’ previous game.
FIFA did not cancel Balogun’s red card. Instead, the governing body suspended the automatic one-match ban attached to the sending-off, clearing the 25-year-old striker for the knockout match in Seattle. The ruling quickly drew backlash, with Belgium questioning FIFA’s interpretation of its own rules and others asking whether Trump’s intervention had placed political pressure on soccer’s disciplinary process.
FIFA suspends ban under disciplinary code after Trump intervention
Balogun scored his third goal of the World Cup in the United States’ 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was later sent off in the second half after planting his boot into the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic. The referee issued the red card after a VAR review. U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino argued after the match that the challenge did not warrant a sending-off.
FIFA cited Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code in explaining the decision. The rule allows FIFA’s judicial body to suspend the enforcement of a disciplinary sanction, either fully or partially. The organization said Balogun’s match suspension would be put on hold for a one-year probationary period.
If he commits another infringement of similar nature and seriousness during that time, FIFA can enforce the original suspension and impose any additional punishment linked to the new incident.
Trump praises FIFA decision
Trump welcomed the ruling on Truth Social, thanking FIFA for correcting what he called “a great injustice.” The White House also celebrated Balogun’s availability with a post on X that read: “USA-USA-USA.”
U.S. Soccer accepted the decision. Balogun’s teammates said they learned about the news through social media while traveling to training ahead of the Belgium match. Christian Pulisic said the players were initially surprised by the news before welcoming it once they realized the decision was official.
Pochettino also defended FIFA’s move during a press conference in Seattle on Sunday evening. He said many people in soccer believed the punishment was unfair and argued that FIFA had used similar disciplinary flexibility in previous cases. The U.S. coach added that he did not view the ruling as exceptional or as a special case created only for the American team.
Trump:
Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! pic.twitter.com/H5gDqy45YU
— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 5, 2026
Tuchel questions FIFA precedent
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he did not believe Balogun’s challenge deserved a red card, but he questioned the wider implications of FIFA suspending the punishment after the referee and VAR had already confirmed the decision.
Tuchel made the comments after England’s 3-2 round-of-16 victory over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, where defender Jarell Quansah was sent off.
The England coach questioned who has the authority to reopen such decisions, what standards should apply, and how far FIFA could go in similar cases. His remarks reflected broader concern that the ruling could create uncertainty over automatic suspensions in the knockout stage.
UEFA condemns FIFA decision
UEFA also criticized FIFA’s ruling, saying the decision to suspend Balogun’s automatic one-match ban on a probationary basis for one year had “crossed every line.”
“Football, like every other sport, is based on rules, which are the foundation of fair, honest and transparent competition,” UEFA said in a statement. “Although some rules may at times be open to interpretation, that is not the case here.”
The European governing body warned that when the certainty of rules is no longer protected by those responsible for enforcing them, “the integrity of the game is threatened and the credibility of the competition is undermined.”
UEFA also said the ruling creates a precedent for the rest of the tournament, arguing that similar cases would now have to be treated in the same way, potentially damaging competitive fairness.
“Football is the world’s most beloved sport because it is a beautiful game and inspires trust, as it is played everywhere under the same rules,” UEFA said. “A tournament is never an isolated event and, especially when it comes to the World Cup, it can have positive or negative consequences for football as a whole.”
UEFA concluded that it was surprised by what it described as “such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustified decision.”
UEFA statement on the Balogun case: ⬇️https://t.co/9LQDx8waKe
— UEFA (@UEFA) July 6, 2026
Belgium questions FIFA ruling after Trump intervention
Belgium’s football federation sharply objected to the ruling and signaled that it was reviewing how to respond before the match. The Royal Belgian Football Association (RFBA) acknowledged that FIFA had relied on Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code. However, the federation argued that Article 66.4 of the same code states that a red card automatically leads to a suspension for the team’s next match.
The RBFA said that rule had been applied to all previous red cards at this World Cup. Belgium also cited Article 10.5 of the tournament regulations, which says that any player or team official sent off for either a direct red card or a second caution must automatically miss the team’s following match.
The Belgian federation said FIFA’s decision appeared to contradict those provisions, adding another layer of tension before the United States and Belgium meet in one of the most politically charged matches of the knockout stage.
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