NEWSDonald Trump Reacts as FIFA Reinstates Folarin Balogun in Dramatic World Cup Twist Before Must-Win Belgium Match: 'Great Injustice'
Donald Trump praised FIFA after Folarin Balogun's World Cup suspension was overturned.
July 6 2026, Updated 1:00 p.m. ET
Donald Trump welcomed FIFA's decision to lift Folarin Balogun's one-match suspension, clearing the striker to play in the United States' crucial World Cup Round of 16 clash with Belgium.
"Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!" Trump wrote on Truth Social after the decision was announced.
Why Was Folarin Balogun Sent Off Against Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Donald Trump welcomed FIFA’s decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension.
Balogun had originally been handed a straight red card during the United States' Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina after accidentally stepping on defender Tarik Muharemovic's ankle.
The on-field referee did not initially issue a yellow card, but the decision was upgraded to a red following a VAR review.
Reports said U.S. Soccer claimed the video assistant referee process had been used incorrectly. Even though FIFA rules typically bar appeals in such cases, the federation reportedly pursued legal action.
Folarin Balogun was initially sent off after a VAR review during the United States' win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The New York Post reported that U.S. Soccer CEO J.T. Batson and COO Dan Helfrich led the effort, working alongside federation attorneys.
White House lawyers were also involved, with Trump personally contacting FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Infantino reportedly told Trump that FIFA's independent disciplinary committee was already reviewing the case. Before it went any further, the committee overturned Balogun's suspension, clearing him to play against Belgium.
According to the report, a source said U.S. Soccer was prepared to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) if FIFA refused to reverse its decision.
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Mauricio Pochettino Welcomes FIFA's Decision on Balogun
Donald Trump contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino as U.S. Soccer sought to overturn the suspension.
While the legal battle unfolded behind the scenes, U.S. head coach Mauricio Pochettino said he remained focused on preparing his squad for Belgium.
"I was focused on trying to prepare the team to face Belgium," Pochettino said.
He praised U.S. Soccer's efforts and welcomed the outcome. "Of course, the [U.S. Soccer] Federation was working really hard to defend our situation," he said.
Pochettino added, "My reaction is like everyone who really loves the sport and trusts in the ethics and integrity [of it]. We celebrate that decision. We were punished enough against Bosnia and Herzegovina, playing with 10 men for 30 minutes [because of] a decision that was completely unfair."
Why FIFA Reversed Balogun's Ban
Mauricio Pochettino welcomed the decision while keeping his focus on preparing the U.S. for Belgium.
The case centered on how VAR was used during the incident.
Under VAR guidelines, slow-motion replay should mainly be used to identify the point of contact. It is, however, not meant to judge a player's intent or the severity of a challenge.
U.S. Soccer argued that officials relied on slow-motion footage to assess Balogun's actions. The federation said he appeared to be planting his foot while tracking the ball.
That said, the disciplinary committee ultimately lifted the suspension before the dispute reached the legal stage.
The ruling also follows previous instances in which FIFA reduced player suspensions. In 2025, Cristiano Ronaldo's original three-match ban was reduced to one game.
