Trump Personally Called FIFA's President to Get a U.S. Player's Red Card Reversed at the World Cup — FIFA Complied, Belgium Is "Astonished," and the Same FIFA President Gave Trump a Peace Prize, Rents Office Space in Trump Tower, Gave Him $15,000 in Tickets, and Will Let Him Present the Trophy at the Final

A head of state called the head of an international sports governing body to overturn a referee's decision during a World Cup his country is hosting. The sports body complied. The head of state thanked them on social media. This is not how any of this is supposed to work.

The red card

On July 2, in the Round of 32 match between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, U.S. striker Folarin Balogun — the team's leading scorer with three goals — clashed with Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemović in the 64th minute. Balogun stepped on the back of Muharemović's right ankle in what appeared to be an accidental collision while both players pursued the ball.

The referee initially did not call a foul. The video assistant referee then reviewed slow-motion footage and still images and recommended a red card. The referee agreed: serious foul play. A red card triggers an automatic one-game suspension under FIFA rules — meaning Balogun would miss the Round of 16 match against Belgium.

USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino: "For me, never is it a red card. It was a normal action in football that happened by accident. There was never any intention."

Longtime Premier League VAR referee Andy Davies told ESPN: "Balogun can feel unfortunate to be red carded in this situation as, in my opinion, this was not a red card offense." He noted that VAR protocol requires slow-motion replay to be used only for determining the point of contact, not the intensity of a foul — the video referee may have violated protocol.

Under FIFA rules, red card suspensions cannot be appealed. Reporters informed Pochettino of this during the post-match press conference.

The phone call

The New York Times reported that Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday and asked him to review Balogun's suspension, citing three people familiar with the conversation.

On Sunday, FIFA announced it had suspended Balogun's ban:

"The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year."

FIFA cited Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, which allows it to "fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure." Balogun was free to play against Belgium.

Trump posted on Truth Social: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!"

The reaction

The Belgian Royal Football Association said it was "astonished" by FIFA's reversal and is "investigating all potential options." Belgium pointed out that "Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup."

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville: "It absolutely stinks, let's be really clear." He added that while he didn't think it was a red card, "there should be a process that allows it to be overturned" — not a phone call from a president.

Pochettino, asked directly if politicians should lobby FIFA over specific decisions:

"No, we cannot mix that. We cannot mix that."

He also said: "There's no extraordinary gain we're getting out of all this. Ultimately we aren't victims, but we aren't the villains of this story either."

U.S. midfielder Weston McKennie: "I think in this stage of the tournament where every player is important, I think it's a bit bogus."

The Ronaldo precedent

FIFA noted it had used Article 27 before — suspending the final two games of a three-match ban for Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, who received a red card for elbowing Ireland's Dara O'Shea during a World Cup qualifier. The suspension of the ban allowed Ronaldo to play from the start of the 2026 World Cup.

The difference: there is no public reporting that a head of state called Infantino about Ronaldo. The Ronaldo decision was made quietly, through FIFA's internal process. The Balogun decision was made after the president of the host nation picked up the phone.

The relationship

The call did not happen in a vacuum. Trump and Infantino have built a relationship of mutual benefit that spans money, access, and spectacle:

• The Peace Prize: In December 2025, FIFA awarded Trump its inaugural "FIFA Peace Prize" at the World Cup draw — a prize no senior FIFA official had heard of before Infantino announced it. The rights group FairSquare filed an ethics complaint calling the award "a clear breach of FIFA's duty of neutrality." Fifty members of the European Parliament sent FIFA a letter demanding action on the complaint
• Trump Tower office: FIFA rents office space in Trump Tower in New York City — an estimated $40,000 per month flowing to the Trump family business. The space reportedly sits largely idle
• $15,000 in tickets: Infantino gave Trump 10 tickets valued at $15,000 to the FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium. Trump attended and joined Infantino on the field to present the trophy
• The trophy ceremony: Infantino announced on Fox News that Trump will help present the World Cup trophy at the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium — placing the president at the center of the most-watched sporting event on Earth
• The "friendship": Trump has called Infantino "a great leader in sports" and "a friend." Infantino has said he believes Trump deserved the Nobel Peace Prize

FIFA is a not-for-profit organization that was the subject of a sweeping DOJ corruption prosecution in 2015, in which top officials were indicted for racketeering and money laundering. That investigation helped bring Infantino to power. A decade later, Infantino is paying rent to the president of the country that prosecuted his predecessors, giving him prizes, giving him tickets, and reversing disciplinary decisions after his phone calls.

What this means for the tournament

The 2026 World Cup is the largest in history — 48 teams across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The tournament requires massive federal coordination: visas, security, transportation, diplomatic logistics. FIFA needs the U.S. government. The U.S. president wants to be at the center of the spectacle. Infantino needs Trump to deliver a smooth tournament. Trump needs Infantino to let him present the trophy.

Into this web of mutual dependency, the president dropped a phone call about a red card. And the red card disappeared.

The Belgian FA called the reversal a violation of FIFA's own written rules. Pochettino said politicians and sports should not mix. Neville said it stinks. The president said it was justice.

Balogun — who was born in Brooklyn, grew up in London, chose to represent the United States over England, and has scored three goals in three World Cup appearances — did not ask for the call. He said after the red card: "I have to accept it." He added: "There's still lots of people we're inspiring — little kids, boys and girls who are watching."

Those kids just watched a president call a sports official to change a ruling for his country's team, and the sports official said yes — because the president gave him a peace prize, rents him office space, and will hand him the trophy on the world's biggest stage. The lesson is not subtle.