A phone call changed the course of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, at least for one player. President Donald Trump contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino following U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 5, and within hours the automatic one-match suspension was lifted. Balogun played in the Round of 16. The U.S. lost to Belgium 4-1, but the suspension reversal is what people are still talking about.
Balogun himself acknowledged the obvious. The intervention would, in his words, “cause a lot of controversy.”
What actually happened
Red cards at major tournaments carry automatic suspensions. Balogun received his against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which under standard FIFA rules would have meant he sat out the following match.
Trump reached Infantino shortly after the incident, characterizing the red card as “very unfair” and pushing for a review. FIFA conducted that review and reversed the suspension. Balogun was cleared to play against Belgium. Critics, governing body watchdogs, and several football associations immediately called the move unprecedented, with some demanding Infantino’s resignation outright.
