Did Donald Trump get USA striker Folarin Balogun's red card ban overturned? | indy100

A composite image of Folarin Balogun celebrating for USMNT and a photo of Gianni Infantino with Donald Trump holding up a red card

Jamie Squire/Getty Images & Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

USMNT forward Folarin Balogun's red card has been overturned, meaning he is currently clear to play Belgium in their FIFA World Cup round of 16 clash on Monday (6 July).

And it appears US president Donald Trump has been at the centre of getting this decision reversed.

The 25-year-old forward scored and was then sent off in USMNT's 2-0 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina in their round of 32 clash. It was Balogun's third goal of the tournament but he then saw quite a harsh red card given against him.

A red card leads to a one-game ban at the FIFA World Cup and can even be extended depending on the severity of the punishable act.

Red cards can even be overturned on review, meaning the player affected faces no further punishment such as missing games, if it was deemed the referee incorrectly issued a red card during the match.

However FIFA made an unprecedented move of suspending Balogun's red card for a year with seemingly no clear explanation as to why, meaning he can be selected for USMNT's clash with Belgium in the round of 16.

$U.S. President Donald Trump raises his fist while speaking at "Salute to America 250" Fourth of July celebrations on the National Mall on July 04, 2026 in Washington, DC. Americans are celebrating the nation\u2019s 250th anniversary amidst an extreme heat wave bringing dangerous triple digit temperatures to much of the eastern United States$ US president Donald Trump seems to have got USMNT's Folarin Balogun's red card overturned after lobbying FIFA / Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

It seems to have been sparked by Trump, with The New York Times and The Guardian reporting the US president lobbied FIFA to allow Balogun to play in the Belgium game, including a call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino with whom he shares a close bond according to Associated Press.

After FIFA announced Balogun could play, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right and reversing a great injustice!"

The Independent contacted FIFA to ask about Trump's involvement with a spokesperson pointing to its disciplinary code which allows sanctions to be suspended at the discretion of the judicial body.

FIFA's statement announcing the reversal said: "In ⁠line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match ⁠suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,.

"If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced ⁠without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."

But this decision might yet be reversed again as Belgium has been granted the right to appeal FIFA's decision, reports The Athletic.

Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States reacts to receiving a red card for a foul on Tarik Muharemovic #4 of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between USA and Bosnia and Herzegovina at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium on July 01, 2026 in Santa Clara, California USMNT's Folarin Balogun is currently available to play against Belgium despite his red card against Bosnia & Herzegovina in the previous round / Michael Steele/Getty Images

Belgium's FA said it was "astonished" and would be "investigating all potential options" in response and submitted an appeal.

It also said: "Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup."

And now sources told The Athletic the federation has formally written to FIFA to appeal the matter and the right to appeal has been granted.

A member of the appeals committee who does not represent a federation in either UEFA or CONCACAF to avoid conflicts of interest has been selected to hear the case.

UEFA has also hit out at the decision in a statement.

It said: "[The] decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line.

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."

Indy100 has contacted FIFA for comment.

Elsewhere from Indy100:

How to join the Indy100's free WhatsApp channel

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter

Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the Indy100 rankings.