Trump admits contacting Infantino to overturn Balogun's red card

Donald Trump admitted Monday to contacting Gianni Infantino directly to request a review of the red card received by Folarin Balogun, striker for the American national team, during a 2026 World Cup match. FIFA ultimately overturned the player’s suspension, a decision the US president publicly welcomed.

Facing the press, Trump made no attempt to hide his intervention. “All I did was ask for a review, because I didn’t think there was a foul,” he said, arguing the action deserved no punishment. He described the contact between Balogun and Bosnian Tarik Muharemovic as a simple physical duel with no foul intent: “It wasn’t a foul. It wasn’t even an infraction. It was two guys running at full speed and they collided by accident.”

The head of state then called FIFA’s decision to overturn the suspension “really brilliant,” implicitly taking credit for the outcome. According to several American media outlets, including the New York Times, the exchange between Trump and Infantino was direct, constituting an unprecedented move by a government leader in a football disciplinary procedure.

The affair reignites questions about FIFA’s independence in managing this World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The relationship between Infantino and Trump, already documented before the tournament, comes back into the spotlight at a time when the credibility of refereeing bodies is at stake. Several observers and former international football officials have denounced unacceptable political interference in the competition’s disciplinary process.