President Donald Trump said Monday that he called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of a red card given to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun [1].

The intervention by a sitting U.S. president into a specific match official's decision is highly unusual and raises questions about political influence over international sports governance.

Trump addressed the situation on July 6, 2026 [1], and said that he contacted the FIFA leader directly to contest the ruling. The red card was issued to Balogun during a match in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup [2].

"I called Gianni Infantino and told him it was a horrible call," Trump said [1].

The president said that the decision to remove the striker from the game was unjustified. He characterized the officiating as a failure in the moment, a move that could impact the U.S. team's progression in the tournament.

"It was a horrible red card on our striker, Folarin Balogun," Trump said [2].

FIFA has not issued a formal statement regarding whether the call will be reviewed or if the president's phone call influenced any internal deliberations. Under standard tournament rules, red cards are typically final unless a formal appeal is lodged by the national federation through official channels.

The incident occurs as the U.S. hosts the global tournament, placing an intensified spotlight on the intersection of national pride and the autonomy of the sport's governing body.

“"I called Gianni Infantino and told him it was a horrible call."”

This event marks a rare instance of a head of state attempting to influence a real-time officiating decision in a global sporting event. While national leaders often cheer for their teams, a direct request for a rule review to the head of FIFA challenges the traditional separation between political leadership and the independent adjudication of athletic competition.