Former President Donald Trump said he contacted FIFA officials to request a review of striker Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension during the 2026 World Cup [1, 2].
The interaction highlights the intersection of high-level political influence and international sports governance during a major tournament hosted in the U.S.
Trump described the officiating decision as "horrible" [2]. He said he was forced to intervene with FIFA after the red card was issued [1]. The suspension resulted in a one-match ban for Balogun [1].
Balogun had been a key contributor for the U.S. men's national team, scoring three goals in four games before the incident [3]. The red card occurred during a quarter-final match earlier this month [2].
Trump said he had no idea what was going to happen when he reached out to the organization [1]. While he described the action as a necessity, other reports suggest he took credit for the review process as a voluntary effort [2].
At the time of these comments, the U.S. team had already been eliminated from the 2026 World Cup for more than one week [1].
“"The red-card call was horrible."”
The claim of political intervention in a FIFA disciplinary matter suggests a breach of the traditional separation between national governments and the autonomous governing body of world football. Because the U.S. team had already been eliminated from the tournament, the request for a review served no competitive purpose, shifting the focus from athletic outcome to the exercise of political leverage.
