The controversy surrounding the red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun has intensified after President Donald Trump revealed that he personally asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the referee’s decision.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Monday, Trump said the only request he made was for FIFA to reconsider Balogun’s dismissal because, in his view, the collision that led to the red card was not a foul. He also described the referee’s decision as “terrible.”
FIFA later cleared Balogun to play in the Round of 16, prompting an immediate backlash from the Belgian Football Association. The federation said it would challenge the decision in order to defend “the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition and the interests of football.”
UEFA also criticized FIFA’s handling of the disciplinary process, describing it as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” The dispute has quickly become one of the biggest off-field controversies of the tournament.
The debate now extends far beyond a single refereeing decision. Critics argue the case raises broader questions about the independence of football’s governing bodies, the potential influence of political pressure on disciplinary decisions and the protection of fair competition at the world’s biggest football tournament.
FIFA has not yet provided a detailed legal explanation for the decision to lift Balogun’s suspension.
