Donald Trump thanks FIFA after controversial U-turn over Folarin Balogun's red card ban
President Donald Trump has thanked FIFA after it reversed Folarin Balogun’s red card ban ahead of the United States’ World Cup last 16-clash with Belgium.
Balogun was handed a red card for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic during the second half of their game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, earning him an automatic suspension from the next match.
Despite being down to ten men, USA won and is now gearing up to take on Belgium tomorrow (Monday 6 July).
Ahead of the clash, FIFA announced the shock news that Balogun won't have to sit out the game against Belgium and has instead put him on one-year probation.
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A FIFA Disciplinary Committee statement read: “By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one (1) year.”
According to FIFA’s disciplinary code, should the 25-year-old commit ‘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’.
President Trump wasted no time in praising FIFA for fixing a ‘great injustice’.
Posting on his Truth Social account just after the announcement Trump wrote: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”
The news was also welcomed by the official White House account, which posted: “USA-USA-USA” followed by a bald eagle emoji.
While the u-turn has been celebrated in the US, the Belgium side is less than impressed.
Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia joked: “I didn’t know that (at) the FIFA World Cup the fifth of July is now the first of April, and that is April Fool’s.”
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has since shared a lengthy statement saying it is ‘astonished’ by the move.
RBFA said: “FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction.
“However, 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.
“Furthermore, and irrespective of the above, the decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5: If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team’s subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed.”
The RBFA went on to say that it is ‘investigating all potential options’.
Former England star-turned pundit Gary Neville also weighed in on the decision.
Speaking during ITV’s World Cup coverage, Neville said: “It absolutely stinks, let’s be really clear.
“But what I would say, the thing that stinks the most is there should be a review process in place because I actually didn’t think it was a red card.
“I think there should be a process which allows it to be overturned, but if there’s no process for it to be overturned and then somehow FIFA, from nowhere, have decided to basically let a player play… and the rules are the same for everybody.
“I would be absolutely raging if I was Belgium and every other team in the tournament that’s had a player sent off that might think it’s a little bit hard done by.”
Topics: World Cup, Donald Trump, US News
Claire Reid