Donald Trump lobbying sees FIFA lift Balogun ban before Belgium clash
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As the US reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002, FIFA rescinded its decision to suspend US striker Folarin Balogun for one match following his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, after US President Donald Trump reportedly lobbied the governing body to overturn the ban.
According to The Guardian, Trump made three calls to FIFA beginning on Wednesday, urging football's world governing body to reverse Balogun's automatic suspension ahead of the hosts' last-16 clash against Belgium. The decision allowed the striker to feature in the knockout fixture, providing a significant boost to the US campaign.
Balogun, who had scored three goals in three starts before the Belgium encounter, was initially set to miss the match after being sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code, which permits the suspension of disciplinary sanctions in certain circumstances, provided they are unrelated to match-fixing.
Under the ruling, Balogun's red card remains on his disciplinary record, but the one-match suspension has been suspended for a probationary period of one year. Should he commit a similar offence during that period, the ban will be enforced.
Trump welcomed the decision on his Truth Social platform, thanking FIFA "for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice".
The move drew an angry response from Belgium. The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was "astonished" by the ruling, arguing that it contradicted FIFA's own regulations, under which a red card automatically carries a one-match suspension. It added that it was examining all possible options.
Belgium manager Rudi Garcia also criticised the decision, likening it to an April Fools' Day prank and insisting his federation was defending "football, its integrity and its ethics".
US Soccer confirmed that it had participated in the process leading to Balogun's clearance. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino praised FIFA's decision, maintaining that the striker's dismissal had been unjust and that the governing body had corrected an unfair outcome.
Defender Chris Richards revealed that players first learned of Balogun's availability through social media while travelling to training, receiving official confirmation only after arriving at the session ahead of the decisive encounter against Belgium.