A phone call between US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino preceded FIFA’s decision to delay the one-match ban imposed on American striker Folarin Balogun following his red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The move is the first time in more than six decades that FIFA has allowed a player sent off at a World Cup to avoid an automatic suspension.
The decision has raised further concerns about the degree of political influence over the governing body, and brought FIFA’s disciplinary process under scrutiny.
Glenn Micallef, the EU’s sports chief, said: “Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport. Our focus should instead be on the real governance challenges facing sport, including the weaponization of sport for political purposes.”
European soccer body UEFA said that FIFA had “crossed a red line.”
The organization said: “We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.”
Balogun is the top goalscorer for the US team and scored his third of the tournament against Bosnia-Herzegovina. In the second half, though, his fortunes changed when he fouled Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic. The referee went to the monitor and after a VAR review showed Balogun a red card.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino argued after the game that it was never a red-card offense.
Shortly after the match, a call between Trump and Infantino led to FIFA’s decision to let Balogun play in the US’ next match against Belgium. The red card was not rescinded but his match suspension was suspended for a period of one year.
FIFA said in a statement: “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 sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
The last time a player did not serve a suspension following a sending off was in 1962 when Brazilian player Garrincha was given his marching orders for kicking a Chilean player in the semifinal. At the time, a red card did not result in an automatic ban; it required a decision by the disciplinary committee after reviewing evidence.
After lobbying and the input of political leaders like Chilean President Jorge Alessandri and Peruvian President Manuel Prado Ugarteche, the disciplinary committee let Garrincha off with a warning. He played in the final and won the World Cup with Brazil.
Questions are now being raised about how close the relationship between FIFA and the White House is. In December 2025, Infantino awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize, telling him that the organization and the entire football community would support his efforts to “make peace and make the world prosper.”
The human rights group FairSquare has since filed a complaint with FIFA’s ethics committee alleging Infantino breached FIFA’s political-neutrality rules by aligning himself with Trump’s agenda. The complaint was backed by 50 members of the European Parliament, who have urged the committee to investigate “with the utmost speed and sincerity.”
Reaction to Sunday’s ruling was not limited to Belgium. Norway’s coach Stale Solbakken said: “I think that’s a big mistake by FIFA.”
He added: “What about the next red card? What happens then? Is there going to be a committee somewhere that is going to take that card away?”
The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was “astonished” by the decision and, pointing to FIFA’s own rulebook, added: “The decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5, ‘If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team’s subsequent match’.”
The RBFA said it was examining its options, though it remains unclear whether it will pursue a formal challenge. FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, which gives the disciplinary committee discretion to suspend enforcement of a sanction already imposed.
Balogun’s return to action will give the US team added help in attack for a match in which they may yet upset Belgium and claim a place in the quarterfinal.
