Trump calls FIFA president to overturn Balogun's red card for Belgium clash

On Wednesday July 2 2026, shortly after the United States' World Cup match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino and urged him to review the red card shown to USA striker Folarin Balogun. According to the New York Times, people familiar with the call said Trump asked for the one-match suspension to be lifted. On Sunday July 5, FIFA announced that Balogun would be eligible to play against Belgium in the last-32 clash, reversing the suspension. The reversal is highly unusual – the first time since 1962 that FIFA has allowed a player who would have been suspended to take the field. The move comes as Infantino has spent years courting Trump's favour; last year FIFA presented the former president with its FIFA Peace Prize amid Trump's unsuccessful Nobel Peace Prize campaign.

For Nigerian fans, the story matters because Balogun, who was born in New York to Nigerian parents, remains eligible to switch allegiance to Nigeria. His availability for the USA's knockout game could affect the tournament's dynamics and, indirectly, the prospects of African sides if the USA progresses. It also highlights how political interference can influence sporting outcomes, a concern for any nation hoping for fair play in global tournaments.

What should you know or do? Keep an eye on Balogun's future international decisions and consider how political pressure on football bodies might affect upcoming African qualifiers or World Cup matches involving Nigeria or other African teams.

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/07/06/2026-world-cup-how-trump-forced-fifa-to-overturn-baloguns-red-card/