Donald Trump Sparks World Cup Fury: President 'Personally Intervened' to Overturn Star Striker's Suspension as 'Astonished' Opponents Launch Probe
Donald Trump has rocked the World Cup by personally contacting FIFA to overturn U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's one-game ban.
July 6 2026, Published 8:28 a.m. ET
Donald Trump has sparked fresh fury after the president asked FIFA to overturn U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's one-match suspension in order for him to play in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the U.S’s top goalscorer was set to be banned from the July 7 clash with Belgium after picking up a red card in his side’s last 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina last Thursday.
'Reversing A Great Injustice'
Trump lauded FIFA's decision to allow Balogun to play in the quarter-final clash versus Belgium.
But after Trump, 80, personally intervened and asked FIFA boss Gianni Infantino to review the decision, Balogun, 25, has been sensationally cleared to play against Belgium after his one-game banned was suspended.
Trump thanked FIFA for "reversing a great injustice" in a post on Truth Social but the move has been slammed by opponents Belgium and UEFA, European soccer's governing body.
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it is "astonished" by FIFA's decision and is "investigating all potential options" in response.
A UEFA statement read: "Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not.
'Credibility Of Competition Is Undermined'
European soccer's governing body slammed the decision Trump influenced.
"A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted.
"It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension.
"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined.
"Equally, such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition. We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."
Contacting FIFA Boss Direct
Trump spoke to Gianni Infantino about Balogun's ban.
Explaining their decision, FIFA released a statement saying: "In line with article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,"
"If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."
CBS sources said Trump spoke to Infantino directly in a short conversation, speaking about Balogun's suspension.
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Trump's actions have been slammed.
Infantino told the president that FIFA's disciplinary committee would look into it, according to one of the sources.
Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prévot, a former referee, has hit out at FIFA's intervention, saying: "If a phone call is really the reason for this incomprehensible decision, it would be a blatant violation of the most basic rules of football and sport."
Glen Micallef, European commissioner for intergenerational fairness, youth, culture and sport, has also voiced his opposition. "Decisions on sporting rules and sporting matters belong to sporting bodies, not politicians," he said.
"Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport."
