The football world is up in arms after the White House put in a call to FIFA asking for a review into US star Folarin Balogun’s red card — with his suspension from the Round of 16 clash with Belgium overturned as a result.
Donald Trump celebrated the decision afterwards, with the revelation that the US president directly called FIFA counterpart Gianni Infantino increasing the spotlight on the relationship between the pair.
“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump said.
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Players issued red cards at the World Cup are automatically banned for one game but Balogun’s sanction has now been put on hold.
FIFA cited “article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code” — prompting “astonished” Belgium Football Association officials to hit back and argue the decision was in “direct contradiction” of World Cup regulations.
“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,” Belgium’s governing body said.
Any challenge would need to come quickly with the US-Belgium clash kicking off on Monday local time (Tuesday AEST).
Not since 1962 has a player sent off at the World Cup played in his nation’s next match at the tournament. Brazilian icon Garrincha was given a red card in the semi-final but played in the final to win the title for the second time in a row.
Balogun was sent off following a VAR review in the United States’ 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32 last week.
The referee issued the red card after replays showed Balogun, who scored the opening goal of the game to bring his tally for the tournament to three, had stepped on the back leg of Tarik Muharemovic.
Balogun’s one-match ban is now on probation for a year.
“We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to compete (against Belgium),” US Soccer said.
“Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle, and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans.”
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia mocked the decision as an April Fool’s joke.
“I didn’t know that in the offices of FIFA the 5th of July was the 1st of April in Europe,” Garcia said.
“The Belgian federation does not defend itself, it does not protect the national team, She defends football in general, she defends her integrity, her ethics. I think it’s the first time in the history of the World Cup that there is this kind of decision.”
FIFA named the US, Mexico and Canada joint hosts of the 2026 World Cup in 2018 during Trump’s first term as president.
His return to the Oval Office coincided with the tournament, and Infantino has only grown closer to the US president since.
Infantino presented Trump with the ‘FIFA Peace Prize’ at the World Cup draw in December last year after he had been overlooked by the Nobel Foundation two months earlier.
Trump is also set to present the World Cup trophy to the winning team after this year’s final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
“We will be together with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course,” Infantino told Fox in the US.
Asked if he and Trump would make the presentation together, Infantino added: “Of course, we are together all the time.”
Trump is regularly booed at sporting events and was widely mocked when he remained on the podium after presenting the Club World Cup trophy to Chelsea in a final also held at MetLife Stadium.
His presence at the final continues a trend in recent years.
The Emir of Qatar and Infantino together presented Lionel Messi with the trophy following Argentina’s victory in 2022.
In 2018, Russian president Vladimir Putin was on stage under an umbrella when France captain Hugo Lloris received the trophy from Infantino in teeming rain.
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