Look, there’s using the bully pulpit, and then there’s using it to referee a soccer match. President Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of a red card issued to US men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun during the 2026 World Cup. And in a twist that has governance watchdogs and sports purists equally alarmed, it worked.
Balogun’s one-match suspension was modified to a one-year probation period, clearing him to play in the US round-of-16 matchup against Belgium. Belgium appealed to have Balogun barred from the match. That appeal was denied on July 6.
What happened on the pitch
The incident occurred during a round-of-32 match between the US and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which the US won 2-0. Balogun, who had scored three goals by that point in the tournament and was the top USMNT scorer, received a straight red card following a VAR review.
Trump disagreed. He called the original referee’s decision “horrible” and said it didn’t reflect Balogun’s performance in the tournament. So sometime between July 2 and 3, he picked up the phone and called Infantino directly.
