Trump’s call prompts FIFA to lift Balogun’s suspension for Belgium match

American President Donald Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino, urging a review of the one-match ban on American player Folarin Balogun, causing a stir in the world of football.

Following Trump’s call on Sunday, FIFA decided not to immediately enforce the one-match suspension on American striker Folarin Balogun. As a result, Balogun, who received a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1, is now eligible to play in the round of 16 match against Belgium.

Shortly after the decision was made public, Trump thanked FIFA on his social media platform, Truth Social. He wrote, “Thank you, FIFA, for correcting a great injustice with the right decision.” Later, The New York Times reported that Trump had called Infantino on Wednesday to request a reconsideration of the ban on America’s key scorer in the tournament.

Belgium outraged, preparing legal action

The Royal Belgian Football Association expressed strong dissatisfaction with FIFA’s decision. Belgium is reportedly considering taking the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

In a statement issued by FIFA, it said, “According to Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the one-match ban on Balogun has been suspended for a probationary period of one year. If he repeats similar misconduct during this period, the ban will be automatically enforced, along with additional penalties for new offenses.”

Outrage and speculation on social media

As soon as Trump’s post was made public, discussions began on social media about his influence on the decision. This was further fueled when Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy hinted on X that “the red card might soon be overturned” even before the decision was announced.

After the decision was made public, he posted an edited picture with Trump, sarcastically writing, “Many are asking how this red card was overturned. What happened behind the scenes? Who made it happen? But a good journalist never reveals their sources.”

Meanwhile, the Belgian Football Association claimed that FIFA’s decision contradicted its own rules. According to the association, Article 66.4 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly states that a player receiving a red card is automatically suspended from the team’s next match. This rule has been applied to all players who received red cards in this World Cup.

Similarly, Article 10.5 of the 2026 World Cup competition regulations also mentions that a player receiving a red card due to a direct or second yellow card must mandatorily miss the next match. Belgium claims that FIFA Circular No. 16, sent to all member nations on May 12, 2026, reiterated this provision.

Moreover, this rule is repeatedly emphasized in the “Match Coordination Meeting” held before each game of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and is included in all workshop presentations for the tournament. Belgian Football Association President Pascale Van Damme, who is also a member of the FIFA Council, flew to Seattle on Sunday amid ongoing discussions on the matter. Responding to FIFA’s decision, the American men’s national football team said on Sunday, “We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible for tomorrow’s match.”

Meanwhile, American coach Mauricio Pochettino clarified that he was not involved in the process of challenging Balogun’s suspension. He stated that his focus was solely on preparing the team for the match against Belgium.

According to ‘The Daily Mail’, the American team was informed about this decision on Sunday morning. However, since the players were not told immediately, they only learned about it later through social media.
After receiving a red card during America’s 2-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Balogun broke his silence a few days later, claiming that receiving only a yellow card would have been just.

Automatic one-match ban after a red card

Under Article 10.5 of FIFA’s competition regulations, there is a provision for an automatic one-match suspension following a red card. Several FIFA officials had previously confirmed to national teams that formal appeals against red cards or subsequent disciplinary actions were prohibited.

However, the judicial committee of the sport’s governing body used a rare provision within Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code to waive the immediate ban. This special rule grants the Disciplinary Committee the authority to fully or partially suspend the implementation of any disciplinary action.

Just before the tournament began, the same probationary rule was applied in the case of Portugal’s captain Cristiano Ronaldo. After receiving a red card for violent conduct during a World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland in November 2025, Ronaldo initially faced a suspension. In that match in Dublin, Portugal lost 2-0 after Ronaldo was sent off for elbowing defender Dara O’Shea. However, after serving a one-match suspension, FIFA intervened, allowing Ronaldo to play in the subsequent match against Armenia, where Portugal won 9-1. Now, with FIFA overturning the ‘mandatory’ suspension, a debate has erupted in the world of football.