United States President Donald Trump has acknowledged making a personal telephone call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss the controversial red card issued to American forward Folarin Balogun during the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, July 6, Trump clarified that he did not pressure FIFA to overturn the suspension but simply requested a review of the incident. The development triggered strong reactions from Belgium, America’s next opponent in the Round of 16, leading to a last-minute appeal to reinstate the ban, which FIFA ultimately rejected.
Trump expressed strong views on the referee’s decision, describing the challenge as a routine collision between two players running at full speed. He defended Balogun, calling him one of the team’s most important players whose absence would have been unfair.
“I did speak to Gianni. I asked for a review by FIFA. That’s all I did,” Trump said. “That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. These were two great athletes who got tangled up.”
The President went further in criticising Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, who showed the red card. Trump suggested checking the official’s past record, though he stopped short of making direct accusations. Reports indicate Claus faced unproven match-fixing allegations in Brazil in 2023 but faced no charges and has no known issues related to the current tournament.
Trump highlighted the timing of the punishment, arguing it was unjust to sideline a player for a future match. “You can’t penalize somebody for a game that hasn’t been played yet. It’s very unfair,” he stated.
He added that allowing Balogun to play ensured both teams would field their strongest squads. “The game tonight is going to be amazing. We are going to have a full team and Belgium is going to have a full team. And you know what, if they beat us they can be really proud,” Trump remarked.
However, he warned that without Balogun, any Belgian victory would have carried a “big mark,” drawing a parallel to his longstanding claims about the 2020 US election. “If they beat us I would say it is rigged,” he said.
Trump insisted he did not issue any directives to Infantino. “I didn’t say ‘you have to do this’. Gianni is a smart, tough man,” he noted, adding that he was initially unfamiliar with the full implications of a red card.
In response to the growing international discussion, Infantino issued a statement confirming the conversation but emphasising FIFA’s independent processes. “Yes, 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,” Infantino said.
He explained that he had informed Trump about the ongoing review by FIFA’s independent judicial bodies. “That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold,” the FIFA chief added. Infantino stressed respect for institutional autonomy regardless of personal opinions on any ruling.
The incident has drawn attention to the intersection of sports governance and high-level diplomacy, especially with the United States hosting matches in the tournament. Balogun’s availability for the high-stakes encounter against Belgium in Seattle has now been settled, setting the stage for what promises to be an intense contest between two competitive sides.
As of the time of filing this report, no further official response has been issued by FIFA or the Belgian football authorities beyond the rejected appeal.
