Trump Confirms He Asked FIFA President to Review US Player's Red Card at World Cup

US President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that he personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the red card issued to US national team forward Florian Balogun during the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 World Cup. Trump argued that Balogun did not commit a foul warranting the red card and that it was unreasonable to punish a player for a future game that had not yet been played. Following this intervention, FIFA officially rescinded Balogun's red card, allowing him to participate in the upcoming Round of 16 match against Belgium.

The decision sparked controversy within the football community, especially among the Belgian team and fans, who questioned whether the reversal was influenced by pressure from the US president, given that the United States is hosting the tournament. Trump publicly praised FIFA for overturning the card and confirmed his involvement in the process.

In response, the Belgian Football Association formally requested a copy of FIFA's decision and an explanation of the procedures followed. FIFA responded by categorizing Belgium's request as an appeal and demanded a resubmission with detailed arguments within hours. European media reported that this was a procedural tactic by FIFA, as the organization's rules require access to the original decision's reasoning before an appeal can be filed. Belgium accused FIFA of deliberately reclassifying their inquiry as an appeal to dismiss it on technical grounds without providing substantive answers.

As the World Cup knockout stage progresses, this dispute remains unresolved and continues to generate headlines, with the opening match of the next round scheduled just hours away.