Stay up to date with notifications from The IndependentNotifications can be managed in browser preferences.AllNewsSportCultureLifestyleUSA striker Folarin Balogun's one-match ban, incurred after receiving a red card during a match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, was controversially suspended by Fifa’s disciplinary committee. Reports from the New York Times and Associated Press indicate that Donald Trump personally contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request a review of Balogun's red card decision. Fifa’s decision, based on Article 27 of its disciplinary code, allows Balogun to play, with the suspension only taking effect if he commits another similar offense within a year. The Royal Belgian Football Association expressed "astonishment" at FIFA's ruling, arguing it contradicts the organization's own regulations which state a red card automatically results in a suspension for the next match. Donald Trump celebrated the decision on Truth Social, while US Soccer and Balogun's coach welcomed the reinstatement, allowing the player to participate in the upcoming match. In fullDonald Trump called Gianni Infantino before Fifa’s stunning decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s World Cup ban, report saysMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

Trump reportedly spoke with FIFA president Gianni Infantino before the organization suspended a U.S. player's red card.

U.S. President Donald Trump intervened on behalf of American star forward Folarin Balogun, whose suspension was lifted in a decision that allows him to play in a World Cup match…

MIAMI: United States striker Folarin Balogun is available for the World Cup last-16 clash with Belgium after FIFA suspended his ban for a red card on Sunday (Jul 5) in an…

MIAMI: United States striker Folarin Balogun is available for the World Cup last-16 clash with Belgium after FIFA suspended his ban for a red card on Sunday (Jul 5) in an…

MIAMI/SEATTLE, July 5 : United States striker Folarin Balogun is available for the World Cup last-16 clash with Belgium after FIFA suspended his ban for a red card on Sunday in an…

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Folarin Balogun had originally been ruled out after receiving a red card during Wednesday's victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Round of 32. | Sports News

Balogun is now free to play in the USA’s last-16 match against Belgium.

FIFA cleared US star striker Folarin Balogun to play in the World Cup co-hosts' showdown with Belgium despite his red-card ban after a personal phone call from President Donald…

Comment: The shock ‘suspension’ of Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban for the USA’s World Cup clash against Belgium once again raises serious questions about sporting integrity on…

The White House made a call to FIFA to ask Gianni Infantino to review Folarin Balogun’s red card, according to a source.

FIFA reversed Folarin Balogun's red card suspension after President Trump reportedly called FIFA President Infantino, raising major sports governance

“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Donald Trump said in a social media post after the decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s red card…

The reversal is highly unusual and the first time since 1962 that FIFA has allowed a player to appear in a game when they would have been suspended.

Trump has a friendly relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infertino, who awarded Trump the “FIFA Peace Prize” last year.

Balogun had been sent off for inadvertently treading on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic in the USA's 2-0 victory on Wednesday.

President Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to urge a review of Folarin Balogun's red card before the US star's suspension was reversed.

The Belgian FA reacted with ‘astonishment’ at the news that USA will be able to call upon their banned star striker for the last-16 tie

US President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked him to review the World Cup suspension of US striker Folarin Balogun, a source familiar with the matter…

The striker was shown a red card in the round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina for planting his boot into the ankle of Tarik Muharemovic.