President Donald Trump reportedly asked FIFA to review a one-game World Cup suspension of U.S Men’s National Team striker Folarin Balogun before the international soccer regulatory body surprisingly reversed the ban on Sunday.
Trump cheered FIFA’s decision, which allows the 25-year-old Balogun to play against Belgium in Monday’s match in Seattle.
“Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social account.
On Wednesday, Balogun received a controversial red card for a foul, causing the top American goal scorer to be sent off the field during his squad’s 2-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
That red card resulted in an immediate one-game suspension without appeal, as is normal.
But FIFA, for the first time in more than 60 years of World Cup matches, said it would allow him to play in the next game.
FIFA, in a statement on Sunday, said that “the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”
FIFA cited Article 27 of its disciplinary code, which says, “The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure.”
The New York Times reported that Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday and asked him to review Balogun’s suspension, citing three people familiar with the conversation. Sports Broadcaster Ben Jacobs first reported that the White House called Infantino for that purpose.
MS NOW has confirmed that Trump called the FIFA boss.
Citing a U.S. official, MS NOW reported that during the call, Trump wanted to better understand why Balogun was hit with a red card and why that led to his suspension.
The official said that the “U.S. government” provided “additional evidence” directed to FIFA, and that the association’s Disciplinary Committee used that information in the process that led to a Balogun’s suspension being reversed.
The government focused on referees reviewing a slow-motion replay before the red card was issued, according to the officials.
“Ultimately the correct and proper outcome was achieved,” the official told MS NOW.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from CNBC.
The Belgian Royal Football Association, in a statement, said that it was “astonished” by FIFA’s about-face on Balogun’s suspension and argued it flouts FIFA’s written rules.
“The RBFA is investigating all potential options,” the association said.
Trump has been heavily involved in the tournament, which the U.S. is co-hosting with Mexico and Canada.
He has enjoyed a close relationship with Infantino, the president of FIFA, which awarded Trump its inaugural peace prize last year, after the president ferociously pursued the Nobel Peace Prize and did not win it.
Trump’s 2025 financial disclosure, which became public last week, revealed that Infantino gave Trump 10 tickets, valued at $15,000, to last July’s FIFA Club World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Trump attended that match, where Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0, and joined Infantino on the field to present the trophy.
The U.S. team will face Belgium in Seattle on Monday in a Round of 16 match at 8 p.m. ET. The match’s winner will punch their ticket to play either Portugal or Spain in the quarterfinal.
Balogun, who has scored three goals over the three games he has appeared in at this World Cup, is a U.S. citizen by birth who grew up in the United Kingdom.
Trump last week lost a case at the Supreme Court challenging birthright citizenship, with a majority of justices ruling that individuals born in the U.S. are U.S. citizens. Trump last year issued an executive order that sought to restrict birthright citizenship sharply.
— CNBC’s Luke Fountain contributed to this article.