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Saturday, 18th July 2026
Trump Praises FIFA Chief Over Reversed Red Card Decision, Sparking Controversy Ahead of World Cup Final
18 July 2026 14:07 PM
NEWS DESK
U.S. President Donald Trump has praised FIFA President Gianni Infantino for overturning the controversial red card issued to U.S. striker Folarin Balogun, describing the move as "a great decision."
The remarks have triggered widespread criticism from both the international sporting community and political observers, with allegations that Trump improperly interfered in football governance and violated FIFA's principles of neutrality.
Trump made the comments during a reception held at Trump Tower in New York in honor of Infantino ahead of Sunday's FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and Spain.
Reflecting on key moments of the tournament, Trump described Balogun's red card as "probably the most unforgettable moment." The U.S. forward was sent off during the July 1 match against Bosnia and initially received a one-match suspension.
According to Trump, he personally called Infantino after the suspension was announced and urged him to reverse the decision. FIFA later lifted the ban, allowing Balogun to return to action—a move that has since drawn sharp criticism from football officials and analysts.
"I had to call Gianni and make a recommendation," Trump said on Friday. "I told him, 'Gianni, I'd like to make a recommendation: let him play!' Honestly, I had no idea what was going to happen."
Balogun returned to the U.S. lineup on July 6 against Belgium. However, the host nation suffered a 4-1 defeat and was eliminated from the tournament.
Despite the loss, Trump defended his intervention, arguing that the controversy would have been far greater had Balogun been unavailable.
"It turned out much better this way because there's no controversy," Trump said while standing alongside Infantino. "They won the game, and our team had all of its players on the field."
He added, "Imagine if Gianni hadn't allowed him to play and we had lost. Everyone would have said we would have won if our best player had been available. Gianni once again proved he made another excellent decision."
Football Authorities Condemn the Move
Trump's remarks have been widely criticized across the football world.
UEFA condemned FIFA's decision to overturn the suspension, calling it "unprecedented and unjustifiable."
Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia said he initially thought the ruling was "a joke," while the Belgian Football Federation announced it was exploring all possible legal options to challenge the decision.
Political and Sporting Backlash
Geopolitical analyst Cyrus Janssen also criticized the episode in a post on X, arguing that the intervention placed the U.S. team in an impossible position.
"If the United States had beaten Belgium, the victory would have been tainted because it appeared to require presidential interference. And after losing, it showed that even unethical political intervention couldn't deliver a win," he wrote.
Facing mounting criticism, Infantino released a statement on July 6 insisting that FIFA's disciplinary bodies operate independently.
"FIFA's judicial bodies are autonomous," he said. "They apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code independently and make decisions based solely on the facts of each case."
Despite the clarification, a formal complaint has reportedly been submitted to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), accusing Infantino of violating the principle of political neutrality.
Balogun Admits Intervention Created Tension
Following the United States' elimination, Balogun acknowledged that Trump's involvement had created unease within the squad.
"I was happy to be back, but later I realized it would generate a lot of controversy," he said in an interview this week. "I could sense some nervousness among my teammates because this kind of situation is truly unprecedented."
Trump Raises Other Political Issues
During the reception, Trump also touched on several other topics beyond football.
He suggested that the United States could host a future FIFA World Cup without co-hosts Mexico and Canada. He also repeated his long-standing, unsubstantiated claims regarding election fraud, themes that have remained central to his political messaging.
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