Former President Donald Trump said he asked FIFA to review and overturn a red-card suspension issued to U.S. World Cup forward Folarin Balogun.
The intervention by a former head of state into the officiating of an international sporting event raises questions about the independence of soccer's governing body. While FIFA typically operates under strict regulatory protocols for disciplinary reviews, the admission suggests a direct line of communication between political leadership and sports administration.
During a press briefing in Washington, D.C., Trump said he did not believe the foul that led to the red card was legitimate. He said that he believed the referee made a mistake and that Balogun should have been permitted to play in the subsequent World Cup match [1, 2].
Trump confirmed he contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino via telephone to discuss the matter. "All I did, I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul," Trump said [2, 3].
Trump described his request as a suggestion rather than a demand. "All I did was ask for a review. I didn’t say, ‘You have to do this,’" Trump said [2].
Following these events, Balogun's red-card suspension was lifted [4]. The timing of the reversal has led to conflicting accounts regarding the influence of the phone call. Reports indicate that Trump's request for a review led to the reversal [2]. However, FIFA President Infantino said Trump did not influence the decision to overturn the card [5].
The incident occurred in July 2026 during the World Cup [2]. The reversal allowed the U.S. forward to return to competition after the initial disciplinary action was voided [4].
“"I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul."”
This situation highlights a potential tension between diplomatic influence and the autonomy of international sports regulation. If a political figure's request correlates with a rare reversal of a referee's on-field decision, it may lead to scrutiny over whether FIFA's disciplinary processes are susceptible to external pressure, regardless of whether the official denial of such influence is accepted.
