Donald Trump Breaks Silence on Folarin Balogun Red Card, Defends FIFA’s Review Process

Donald Trump says Folarin Balogun's World Cup red card wasn't a foul as he asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review the decision.

Donald Trump Breaks Silence on Folarin Balogun Red Card, Defends FIFA’s Review Process

Donald Trump and Folarin Balogun (Image: X)

President Donald Trump said he believed United States striker Folarin Balogun should never have been sent off and defended his decision to ask FIFA to review the incident that led to the player’s World Cup suspension being lifted.

Speaking from the Oval Office on Monday, Trump gave his first detailed account of his conversation with FIFA President Gianni Infantino after Balogun received a red card during the United States’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“All I did was ask for a review. I didn’t say, ‘You have to do this,’” Trump said. The president said he did not believe the challenge warranted a red card. “I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said, describing the incident as “two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other.”

“He didn’t do anything wrong,” Trump said of Balogun. The 47th US President also rejected suggestions that he influenced FIFA’s disciplinary process. “I didn’t tell him what to do, I can’t tell him what to do,” he said, adding that an independent committee “made the right decision.”

The president also questioned the officiating, calling the referee “a little bit suspect” and telling reporters to “check his past.”

FIFA announced on Sunday that Balogun would be eligible to face Belgium in Monday night’s Round of 16 match after suspending the implementation of his automatic one match ban. The United States forward had been sent off following a VAR review during his team’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina after officials ruled that his challenge on Tarik Muharemovic amounted to serious foul play.

The suspension was lifted under Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary regulations, allowing Balogun to return for the knockout stage. Trump’s remarks were his first public explanation of why he contacted Infantino following the incident.

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Belgium appeals FIFA’s review decision as red card controversy continues

The Royal Belgian Football Association has appealed FIFA’s decision to make Folarin Balogun eligible for the Round of 16 against Belgium, saying it has yet to receive either the governing body’s decision or the reasoning behind it.

In a statement issued Monday, the RBFA said it had requested an explanation from FIFA but was instead informed that its correspondence would be treated as an appeal, with only a short deadline to complete the process.

Folarin Balogun
Folarin Balogun (Image via Fox News)

The Belgian federation had earlier described itself as “astonished” by the ruling and said it was considering all available options to defend the principles of fair play.

FIFA’s decision has also drawn criticism from UEFA, former FIFA president Sepp Blatter, coaches including Thomas Tuchel and Stale Solbakken, and former players Ian Wright and Roy Keane. Although some agreed Balogun may not have deserved a red card, they questioned the process used to suspend the automatic one-match ban after it had already been imposed.

The controversy centers on FIFA’s decision to invoke Article 27 of its disciplinary code, while critics argue that other World Cup regulations require an automatic one match suspension following a direct red card. Balogun was cleared to play against Belgium in Monday’s Round of 16 match, while Belgium’s appeal and the debate surrounding FIFA’s disciplinary process remain unresolved.

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