Trump called Infantino about Balogun: The NYT is certain of it
The lead-up to the United States-Belgium match was dominated by controversy. Just a few hours before the World Cup round of 16, FIFA lifted Folarin Balogun’s suspension, allowing the U.S. forward to be available to head coach Mauricio Pochettino. This decision sparked protests from Belgium and raised inevitable questions, especially after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly thanked FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The match is scheduled for Tuesday night in Seattle, but the debate is already heating up. The suspension of Balogun’s ban is, in fact, an extremely rare occurrence in the history of international soccer, with few precedents, such as the pardon granted to Garrincha at the 1962 World Cup or the reduced suspension obtained by Cristiano Ronaldo during the qualifiers for this World Cup. This has led to speculation that the decision was influenced by the relationship between Trump and Infantino, as well as the fact that the United States is the host country of the tournament. According to various reports, including one from The New York Times, there was also a phone call between the White House and FIFA officials. Not surprisingly, the Belgian press has described it as a real “twist.”
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “stunned” by the decision and announced that it is evaluating “all possible options,” including the possibility of legal action. According to the federation, FIFA justified the decision by citing Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, which allows the Disciplinary Committee to suspend the application of a sanction that has already been imposed.
For Belgium, however, this interpretation conflicts with other provisions of the same regulation. Article 66.4 of the Disciplinary Code stipulates that a red card automatically results in a suspension for the next match, a principle also reaffirmed by Article 10.5 of the Competition Regulations and Circular No. 16 sent to all participating federations prior to the tournament. For this reason, the RBFA believes that the decision violates the principles of fair play and has reiterated its commitment to protecting “the legitimate rights of all participating teams.”
Balogun had been sent off with a direct red card in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina after landing on Muharemovic’s ankle following an aerial challenge. A one-match suspension seemed inevitable, but the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend the ban by applying Article 27 and replacing it with a one-year probationary period.
The decision was immediately welcomed by Donald Trump, who wrote on the social media platform Truth: “Thank you to FIFA for righting a grave injustice.” In the days leading up to this, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had also spoken out, calling the red card “an injustice” and expressing hope for an appeal. Although it is not possible to appeal the ejection, according to sources close to the U.S. national team, officials reportedly asked the Disciplinary Committee to apply Article 27 specifically to suspend the effects of the sanction.
