Folarin Balogun of the United States during the FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Australia on June 19. Al Sermeno/ISI Photos/Getty Images
WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) – FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended world soccer’s disciplinary process on Monday amid an international wave of criticism after U.S. President Donald Trump praised FIFA’s decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s World Cup red-card ban.
Infantino said FIFA’s judicial bodies operated “independently and autonomously” and that he had told Trump the Balogun case was subject to an ongoing legal process, even as the U.S. President described the decision to reinstate the United States striker as “brilliant” after personally urging FIFA to review the case.
The affair has become the tournament’s biggest controversy, drawing condemnation from European football body UEFA, which said FIFA had “crossed a red line”, the Royal Belgian Football Association, several national federations as well as senior coaches, officials and politicians, with critics arguing FIFA had undermined confidence in its own disciplinary system.
It also prompted the Belgians, who play the U.S. later on Monday for a place in the quarter-finals, to challenge Balogun’s eligibility for the match but their appeal was rejected by FIFA. The player was sent off for a tackle during the U.S. win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, a punishment that usually carries an automatic one-match ban.
“He (Balogun) didn’t do anything wrong and he is our best player,” Trump told reporters at the Oval Office on Monday. “When they take your best player and say ‘You can’t play’ it’s very unfair.”
“I think they made a really brilliant decision,” Trump said. “I asked for a review. If they would not allow a top player to play I think it (the World Cup) would have had a big stain. I related that feeling.”
Trump also questioned the quality of refereeing by Brazil’s Raphael Claus, who had sent Balogun off, saying he was “a little bit suspect if you check his past.” He did not elaborate.
Infantino later confirmed the call but said he explained to Trump that FIFA’s judicial bodies operated independently.
The Royal Belgian Football Association challenged FIFA’s decision to declare Balogun eligible to play on Monday but FIFA rejected it.
“The FIFA Appeal Committee has rendered a request submitted by the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) as inadmissible,” FIFA said in a statement. “The request was rendered inadmissible on the grounds that the RBFA is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision.”
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