2026 World Cup: Donald Trump’s (half) admission: “Yes, I did it”

From the White House to FIFA’s top brass, including ministers, lawyers, and even the son of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump is said to have been at the center of intense lobbying efforts that, according to a Bild investigation, led to the suspension of U.S. forward Folarin Balogun’s ban during the 2026 World Cup.

This account has been partially confirmed by Trump himself, who explained that he discussed the case with FIFA President Gianni Infantino: “Yes, I did. I just asked for a review of the decision; I didn’t tell him, ‘You have to do it.’” Trump then added that, in his opinion, “it wasn’t a foul; it was two athletes colliding.” He continued: “The referee is a bit suspicious, if we look at his past. He made a decision that no one could believe.”

According to the German newspaper, a few minutes after Balogun’s ejection in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Andrew Giuliani reportedly informed Trump, launching a four-day campaign to have the suspension overturned, which would have ruled the forward out of the round of 16 match against Belgium. The operation also reportedly involved Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, executives from the U.S. Soccer Federation, and a group of lawyers tasked with filing an appeal with FIFA.

At the same time, information was reportedly gathered on Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, while the case was being reviewed by FIFA’s disciplinary bodies. According to Bild, Trump also reportedly had a phone conversation with Infantino on Thursday, asking for clarification on the rules regarding the red card and the resulting suspension. FIFA, as cited by Politico, did not confirm the contents of the conversation, reiterating only that the decision was made independently by the Disciplinary Committee.

On Sunday, FIFA then announced the suspension of the ban, allowing Balogun to play against Belgium. However, the report underlying the decision was not published, nor was the decision-making process clarified, fueling further doubts about the matter. Trump nevertheless publicly thanked the federation for “doing the right thing.”