Trump says he didn't demand Balogun's World Cup red card reversal

Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News on Jul 6, 2026

Published in Soccer

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President Donald Trump on Monday insisted he didn’t demand that soccer authorities reverse the controversial suspension of World Cup star Folarin Balogun and merely asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to allow an appeal of the red card decision.

With international outrage growing over Balogun’s reinstatement for Monday night’s game with Belgium, Trump called the referee’s call “horrible” but said he didn’t order Infantino to reverse it.

“I didn’t tell him to do anything, I can’t tell them what to do,” Trump said. “I asked for a review.”

Despite the hands-off claim, a FIFA committee quickly agreed Sunday to scrap the normal one-game suspension Balogun received for the red card he got in the game against Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Trump derided the referee who made the Balogun call as “suspect” and said the entire World Cup would be tarnished if Balogun had not been permitted to play because he is one of the U.S. team’s best players.

“It would have stained it,” Trump said.

The decision means the U.S. team’s leading scorer will be allowed to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium with a spot in the quarterfinals against either Spain or Portugal up for grabs.

It’s the first time since 1962 that a red card during a World Cup hasn’t result in a one-game suspension.

European soccer body UEFA on Monday criticized FIFA for an “incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.” UEFA, whose member federations include Belgium, added: “Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not.”

“We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,” the UEFA statement added.

The Belgian soccer federation was preparing an appeal in Seattle early Monday to challenge the Balogun ruling before a FIFA-appointed appeals judge. The game was due to kick off in Seattle at 5 p.m. Pacific time.

“Football must never become a playground for political power,” tweeted former FIFA boss Sepp Blatter.

Balogun was sent off directly after a VAR review of a clash with Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic resulted in a red card, which comes with the player being sent off the field and a mandatory one-game suspension.

Brazilian referee Raphael Claus didn’t initially signal a card but showed Balogun red after the video review.

Balogun’s absence in the round of 16 match with Belgium would have been a serious blow to the U.S. chances to advance to the quarterfinals or beyond.

He scored three goals including a go-ahead strike against Bosnia.

A 25-year-old who plays for Monaco in the French league, Balogun scored 13 goals last season and has 12 goals in 30 international appearances for the U.S. team.

He was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents after his pregnant mother remained in New York to give birth to him instead of returning to their home in Britain. Balogun gained U.S. citizenship under the principal of birthright citizenship, which the Supreme Court recently upheld in a ruling that struck down Trump’s 2025 executive order seeking to end the policy.

Balogun grew up in London and played for English giants Arsenal but in 2023 opted to change his national team affiliation from England, which he had represented at the under-21 level, to the U.S.

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