Trump Called FIFA - a 60-Year World Cup Rule Broke and the US Lost Anyway

A Red Card That Triggered a Presidential Phone Call

American forward Folarin Balogun received a red card during the U.S. team’s July 1 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina after video review showed him landing on an opponent’s ankle. Under FIFA tournament rules, a red card carries an automatic one-game suspension. That rule had applied to every red card in World Cup competition for more than six decades.

The New York Times, citing three people familiar with the conversation, reported that President Trump then called FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked him to review the red card. A U.S. official told a separate news organization that the U.S. government provided what it described as additional evidence to FIFA as part of that process.

FIFA Suspended the Suspension

On Sunday, July 6, FIFA announced it was suspending the implementation of Balogun’s one-game ban, citing Article 27 of its disciplinary code, which allows a judicial body to defer the enforcement of a disciplinary measure for a probationary period. FIFA set the probationary period at one year.

The ruling appeared to be the first time in more than 60 years of World Cup matches that a player who received a red card during the tournament was allowed to play in the team’s immediate next game. U.S. Soccer issued a statement saying it accepted the decision and was pleased that Balogun would be eligible for the round of 16. Trump praised the outcome on Truth Social, writing: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice.”

Europe Pushes Back Hard

The decision drew an immediate and sharp response from European soccer institutions. UEFA, the governing body for European soccer, issued a statement saying that FIFA had “crossed a red line” with a decision it described as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.” The Royal Belgian Football Association, Belgium’s national soccer body, said it was “astonished” and issued a formal objection.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia used an April Fools’ Day comparison in a press conference, saying through a translator that he did not know the fifth of July had become the first of April in Europe. The RBFA filed a formal challenge, which FIFA subsequently declared inadmissible, saying Belgium’s association was not a party to the proceedings and had no standing to appeal the decision.

The Ironic Outcome

Balogun played in the round of 16 match against Belgium on July 6. He had little impact. The United States lost 4-1 and was eliminated from the World Cup.

The sequence had a specific quality. A presidential call to a global sports governing body overturned a rule that had stood for generations. International soccer officials condemned the action as a violation of the sport’s governance principles. And the intervention produced no result on the field.

Questions About FIFA Independence Remain

The episode reopened long-standing debates about FIFA’s independence from political influence. FIFA’s disciplinary code does allow for probationary suspensions under Article 27, but the provision had never been applied in this manner during a World Cup tournament, according to available records.

FIFA stated that the chairperson of its Appeal Committee was American but was not involved in the decision to reverse the suspension. The organization has not addressed whether the Trump call played a formal or informal role in triggering the review process. The U.S. men’s team is now eliminated. The World Cup final is scheduled for July 19.

References: U.S. Loses to Belgium 4-1; Balogun Plays After Trump Calls FIFA | U.S. Star Folarin Balogun Eligible to Play vs. Belgium After FIFA Suspends Red Card Ban | World Cup: Trump Praises FIFA After Folarin Balogun Suspension Reversed