Donald Trump has confessed he had no idea what a red card meant when he picked up the phone to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, hours before the governing body controversially wiped out Folarin Balogun's suspension.
The intervention has plunged the tournament into fresh chaos, with the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) demanding answers and UEFA accusing FIFA of abandoning its own rulebook. Balogun, the USA's top scorer, had been shown a straight red for standing on the ankle of Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in a 2-0 win on 1 July 2026. FIFA's decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban, clearing him to face Belgium in Monday's last-16 tie in Seattle, has triggered accusations the tournament is 'rigged' in the co-hosts' favour.
Trump's Admission Over the Phone Call
Speaking to reporters during an Oval Office event on Monday, Trump confirmed he had rung Infantino personally to query the officiating decision. 'I asked for a review by FIFA,' he said, insisting he had 'nothing to do with the decision' that followed.
Pressed on his grasp of the offence, Trump admitted he'd gone in blind: 'I didn't know what the hell a red card was,' he said, calling the incident 'two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled,' not a sending-off offence.
A US official briefed on the call said Trump 'wanted to understand what the red card meant and what the process is' and 'isn't a soccer guy.' Infantino reportedly told him initially there was 'nothing I can do,' as the matter sat with FIFA's independent disciplinary bodies.
🇺🇸🗣️ Donald Trump: "I didn't know what the hell a red card was. When I found out, I said, 'You gotta be kidding!'" pic.twitter.com/lPOhWAQzuB https://t.co/uJVqL4pgxQ
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) July 6, 2026
How the Ban Was Overturned
FIFA said the reversal followed the workings of its 'independent' and 'autonomous' judicial bodies. Infantino said he does not always agree with the disciplinary committee's rulings but respects their authority regardless of personal opinion.
The reversal was made under Article 27 of FIFA's disciplinary code, which allows a sanction to be suspended in favour of probation. Balogun received a one-year probationary period. Belgium's federation and legal analysts note Article 27 appears to conflict with Article 66.4 and Article 10.5 of FIFA's World Cup regulations, which mandate automatic suspension with no right of appeal. FIFA used the same provision earlier in the tournament to cut Cristiano Ronaldo's three-match ban to one game. It is only the second red card reversal at a World Cup since 1962, and the first since automatic suspension rules began.
Original reporting by NBC News cited two people familiar with the discussions. According to that reporting, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, seated beside Infantino at the Bosnia-Herzegovina match, began calling FIFA soon after the sending-off. Andrew Giuliani, head of the White House's FIFA task force, then briefed Trump, prompting internal discussion over how US Soccer's legal team could challenge the card.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino:
— FIFA Media (@fifamedia) July 6, 2026
“I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun, and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA’s governance.
“FIFA’s judicial… pic.twitter.com/FzeWuMQIXf
Fury From Belgium and UEFA
The RBFA was granted the right to challenge Balogun's reinstated eligibility, only for FIFA's Appeal Committee to reject that challenge on Monday. FIFA confirmed that Neil Eggleston, the American chairperson of its Appeal Committee, was not involved in that particular ruling.
As a fan, I am obviously overjoyed that Balogun will get to play and that this injustice was corrected. But man does this look awful for FIFA and it will make the rest of the world feel like the tournament was rigged. https://t.co/MXryJh1f4g
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) July 5, 2026
This is probably the biggest scandal in World Cup history.
— Appie Culé (@appiecule) July 5, 2026
USA striker Folarin Balogun committed this outrageous foul against Bosnia and was shown a straight red card… but here’s where it gets crazy.
The White House publicly contacted FIFA and the tournament organizers, asking… pic.twitter.com/i236kroQtl
UEFA called the decision 'unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable,' saying FIFA had 'crossed a red line.' Belgium's opposition Socialist party went further, arguing 'the World Cup loses all credibility' when political influence overturns a refereeing sanction, and accused FIFA of 'adapting the rules to please Trump.'
Reaction has split along partisan lines, with some dubbing it 'the Trump card' and others calling it among the biggest scandals in World Cup history. Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday thanking FIFA 'for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice', fuelling claims the tournament is tilted toward the US ahead of Monday's game against Belgium.
