President Donald Trump's phone call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino has triggered one of the biggest controversies of the 2026 World Cup, after soccer's governing body suspended a red-card ban against U.S. striker Folarin Balogun just days after it was issued, clearing him to play Belgium in the Round of 16 on July 6.
Balogun, the tournament co-hosts' leading scorer, was sent off in the 64th minute of the USA's win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 after a video review found he had stepped on the back of a Bosnian defender's leg. Under FIFA's rules, a straight red card automatically triggers a one-match ban that cannot be appealed by the player's own team.
