FIFA Lifts Balogun Suspension After Trump Call

By Aurax Desk | July 6, 2026 | 1 min read

President Donald Trump said he contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino to seek a review of Folarin Balogun's World Cup suspension before the governing body cleared the U.S. striker to face Belgium. The decision has fueled debate over FIFA's disciplinary process and the role of political influence during the tournament.

U.S. striker Folarin Balogun was cleared to face Belgium after FIFA suspended enforcement of his automatic one-match ban.

President Donald Trump said he personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the one-match suspension handed to United States forward Folarin Balogun after his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Trump confirmed the conversation before FIFA announced that Balogun would be eligible for Monday's Round of 16 match against Belgium, one of the tournament's most anticipated knockout games. The White House said Trump wanted FIFA to ensure the disciplinary process was applied fairly, while FIFA has not indicated that the president's request influenced its decision.

Hours after Trump's comments, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee suspended enforcement of Balogun's automatic one-match ban under Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, allowing the striker to play while placing the sanction on a one-year probationary period. The red card remains on Balogun's disciplinary record, and the suspension could be reactivated if he commits a similar offense during that period. FIFA did not overturn the referee's decision or publicly explain why Article 27 was applied in this case. The governing body said only that the ruling followed its disciplinary procedures.

The decision quickly became one of the World Cup's biggest off-field controversies. The Belgian Football Association questioned the ruling and said it was reviewing its options, while several current and former football figures expressed concern that suspending the automatic ban could undermine the consistent application of tournament regulations. Others noted that Article 27 gives FIFA discretion to suspend sanctions in exceptional circumstances, although such action is rarely taken during a World Cup. Balogun, who has scored three goals in the tournament, is expected to lead the U.S. attack as the Americans seek their first World Cup quarterfinal appearance since 2002. FIFA has not linked its decision to Trump's phone call, and neither FIFA nor the White House has disclosed additional details of the conversation.

Sources: Information from Reuters, The Associated Press, CNN, BBC Sport, Fox News, The New York Times and Australian Associated Press.

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