A star player’s suspension was overturned ahead of the FIFA World Cup’s round of 16, and a personal phone call from the White House may have been a difference-maker.
Last week, fans rooting for the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (USMNT) against Bosnia and Herzegovina grew heated after striker Folarin Balogun was issued a red card. The suspension was removed when appeal efforts proved successful ahead of Monday’s match against Belgium, including a call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino from President Donald Trump.
According to a report from the New York Times, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and White House task force on the World Cup Executive Director Andrew Giuliani were among the administration officials who set to work with attorneys on appealing the penalty, “despite FIFA’s rules against such appeals, according to two of the people familiar with the call.”
For his part, Trump was said to have raised allegations brought against referee Raphael Claus of fixing matches with red cards in Brazil.
Involvement from the White House before the round of 16 matchup, according to the New York Post, followed Balogun’s intention to pursue legal action against FIFA over using a slow-motion replay to issue the red card after the striker accidentally stepped on the ankle of the opposing team’s defender, Tarik Muharemovic.
NEW: President Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask him to review the suspension of U.S. player Folarin Balogun, according to the NYT.
Balogun was given a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday and was suspended for the next game.
FIFA… pic.twitter.com/svJl6f4N3g
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) July 5, 2026
The newspaper went on to detail that Infantino informed Trump the matter was already under review by FIFA’s disciplinary committee.
In its own statement, FIFA expressed, “In line with Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. 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.”
“A legal appeal was sent to FIFA,” a source told the Post. “They wanted to avoid CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport). The CAS legal was ready to go.”
Sources: President Trump, commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, and White House task force head Andrew Giuliani put together a team of elite lawyers — from outside the government — to challenge the Flo Balogun red card. Specifically they challenged the use of slow motion instant…
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) July 5, 2026
Citing FIFA Disciplinary Code and World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, the Royal Belgian FA issued its own statement “astonished” by FIFA’s decision, “In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.”
As for USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino, he relayed that he “wasn’t involved” in the appeal process and instead “was focused on trying to prepare the team to face Belgium.”
“Of course, the [U.S. Soccer] Federation was working really hard to defend our situation. My reaction is like everyone who really loves the sport and trusts in the ethics and integrity [of it]. We celebrate that decision,” said Pochettino. “We were punished enough against Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing with 10 men for 30 minutes [because of] a decision that was completely unfair.”
Upon removal of the suspension in favor of a probationary period, the president issued a brief statement on Truth Social: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
Native of Brooklyn, NY, Kevin Haggerty is a graduate of Hunter College where he studied Cultural Anthropology and Geography. An avid reader and truth seeker, he currently resides in Texas with his wife and their dog and, when he isn't researching current events and their impacts, you'll find him spending time with friends and family or working on his next novel.
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