President Donald Trump (R-FL) said Monday he asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review a red-card foul issued to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun [1, 2].
The intervention by the U.S. president into a World Cup officiating decision marks a rare instance of direct political involvement in a sporting disciplinary matter.
Speaking in Washington, Trump said he did not believe the incident that led to the red card was a foul [1, 5]. The request for a review comes as the U.S. national team prepares for a critical World Cup match against Belgium [2, 4].
"I asked Gianni Infantino to review the red‑card decision against Folarin Balogun," Trump said [2].
Trump said he wanted the governing body of international football to rectify the situation quickly to ensure the striker's availability for the upcoming fixture. The red card typically results in a suspension for at least one match, which would deprive the U.S. team of one of its primary attacking options.
"We need to make sure the right call is made before the U.S.–Belgium match," Trump said [3].
The president said the decision was incorrect and that the player should not be sidelined. "I didn't think it was a foul," Trump said [1].
FIFA has not yet issued a formal response regarding whether the red-card decision will be overturned or if the review requested by the president will impact the official ruling.
“"I asked Gianni Infantino to review the red‑card decision against Folarin Balogun."”
This move highlights a departure from the traditional separation between national political leadership and the autonomous regulatory functions of FIFA. While heads of state often support their national teams, a direct request to the FIFA president to overturn a referee's on-field disciplinary decision could raise questions about sporting integrity and the influence of political pressure on international tournament officiating.
