US President Donald Trump reportedly spoke with FIFA President Gianni Infantino and requested the cancellation of the red card issued to Folarin Balogun. FIFA subsequently froze the suspension, allowing the US striker to play in the round of 16 match against Belgium, according to reports.
FIFA has confirmed that US striker Folarin Balogun is cleared to play in Monday's round of 16 match against Belgium, after freezing the red card suspension that had been issued during the group stage. The confirmation, received at 10:52 Jerusalem time, follows a reported phone call between US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Balogun was immediately added to the lineup, and the enforcement of the freeze was effective at once.
Initial reports of the intervention surfaced Sunday evening, at 20:51 Jerusalem time, when The Zioneer first reported that Trump personally lobbied Infantino to overturn the card. Soon after, a second report specified that Trump had asked Infantino to review the card before it was canceled. A bulletin published at 06:43 Monday morning stated that the call had reportedly led to the cancellation. The new confirmation from FIFA now solidifies the outcome, with the organization officially freezing the suspension.
This intervention by a sitting US president in a FIFA disciplinary matter is unprecedented, as The Zioneer reported. The last known reversal of a red card suspension in a FIFA tournament occurred in 1962. The context of the call—Trump's reported remarks about Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni days earlier—highlights the broader pattern of Trump's direct engagement with international sports bodies, though no direct link has been established.
It remains unclear whether FIFA's decision was made through formal disciplinary review or solely on the basis of Trump's request. The exact content of the call between Trump and Infantino has not been officially confirmed by either party.
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Source and signal
- Internal intake