Washington — President Donald Trump stated he saw the play during the FIFA World Cup match that led to U.S. Men's National Team striker Folarin Balogun receiving a red card and subsequent one-game suspension. The red card was issued after Balogun was penalized for stepping on the right ankle of Tarik Muharemović of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the team's Wednesday match, which eliminated Balogun from the next game.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Monday that he "saw the play," and believed Balogun's move did not constitute a foul or infraction. He admitted initially not knowing the meaning of the red card but emphasized his sports background, saying, "I'm a person that loves sports and was a good athlete."

Following the incident, Trump said he spoke directly with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked for a review of the suspension. Infantino confirmed receiving a call from President Trump, noting, "I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the president of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues."

FIFA subsequently reversed Balogun's one-match suspension, a decision that has faced criticism and an appeal. In a statement Monday, FIFA cited Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, explaining that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has discretion to suspend disciplinary measures provided they do not relate to match manipulation, which was not a factor in this case. FIFA added that such decisions are not unprecedented, referencing similar rulings during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers.

Trump also expressed skepticism about the referee's call, describing the referee as "a little bit suspect" based on past decisions and stating, "He made a call that nobody could believe. Even people on the other side, they said 'We got lucky.'"

Sources