Balogun case: Trump's decision generates political storm around the World Cup

For 24 days, the World Cup seemed to achieve a rare feat in America in 2026: it had almost nothing to do with Donald Trump.

But in an extraordinary turnaround following an appeal from the president, American top scorer Folarin Balogun will play in the round of 16 clash against Belgium this Monday (6), despite being sent off in the previous match and receiving a one-game suspension.

"Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right and reversing a great injustice! President DONALD J. TRUMP", he published last Sunday (5), celebrating the victory at Truth Social.

Balogun's amnesty shook world football, triggering new speculation about the close relationship between Trump and FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Trump's talk about suspension in a call to Infantino and the final decision by football's governing body turned a controversy over arbitration into an international incident surrounding the biggest sporting spectacle in the world.

The subsequent drama raises concerns about political interference and the integrity of the tournament. It doesn't necessarily matter whether Trump's pressure on the issue was decisive. Just the impression that it was risks damaging the global perception of an event that had generated remarkably positive headlines.

Controversy is guaranteed in the World Cup finals. Who could forget Diego Maradona's "hand of God" goal for Argentina in 1986 or French star Zinedine Zidane's header in the 2006 World Cup final?

But there is no known precedent for a political leader pressuring FIFA over who can play in a match, let alone one so important to a host country's chances of advancement.

The hyper-partisan nature of football fans means American supporters are unlikely to care how Balogun came to take the field in Seattle on Monday. But the Royal Belgian Football Federation said the pre-match maneuvers contravened FIFA regulations and undermined fair play. The coach of the Belgian national team that the federation would act not to defend national honor, but to defend "football in general".

"She stands by her ethics." The federation added on Monday that it was contesting Balogun's availability, although it also accused FIFA of a lack of transparency over the decision.

This Monday, the international repercussions about the case intensified. UEFA, European football's governing body, said in a statement that lifting Balogun's punishment threatened the tournament's reputation.

"When the certainty of the rules is no longer guaranteed by their guardians, the integrity of the game is at risk and the credibility of a competition is compromised," he said.

The controversy will make the USA v Belgium clash even more unmissable - and if the home team wins, many American fans won't mind an off-field rules controversy.

But it would be unfortunate if the incident overshadowed an otherwise exuberant World Cup, with fans outside the US likely to view an American victory with reservations.

Trump's intervention raises suspicions
In isolation, there is good reason to believe that Balogun was harmed when he was sent off during the US team's victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. But Trump's decision to get involved introduces the possibility that Balogun's rehabilitation may not have been motivated solely by equity reasons.

The referee did not immediately order Balogun's ejection, but after analyzing a video review of the incident, concluded that he had committed a serious foul. At normal speed, the collision with Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemović seemed harmless. But when the throw was slowed down, Balogun's foot was seen grazing the back of his opponent's leg and twisting his ankle in a horrible position.

Many fans argued that Balogun was the latest player to be harmed by football's video assistant referee system and that he had no intention of hurting Muharemović. Often, clashes between players look much worse in slow motion. In generations before technological innovation, moves like Balogun's escaped punishment.

It is possible to conclude that Balogun was unlucky - but also see the move as deserving of a red card by FIFA standards. Similar moves happen every week in the main European leagues and also result in expulsions. On the other hand, it is difficult to understand why Balogun received red while Lionel Messi got away with a similar move in Argentina's first match.

But FIFA's response to the incident and Trump's choice to get involved are raising alarms. After the game, the organization made it clear that the American team had no way of appealing the suspension and that Balogun would be prevented from playing in the round of 16. It was a huge blow for the Americans, as the Monaco striker is the team's top scorer.

FIFA's announcement of the reversal of the suspension offered very little explanation, fueling criticism that an exception was made for the American star following Trump's complaint. The disciplinary committee invoked Article 27 of its code, which allows for the total or partial suspension of a disciplinary measure during a probationary period. The red card remains in force and, if Balogun commits another infraction, the suspension will be reinstated, along with any new penalties.

It was not the first time that FIFA used this clause. She has already generated accusations of favoritism towards a player with great commercial appeal when she allowed Cristiano Ronaldo, from Portugal, to play in the first games of this edition, despite facing suspensions for a red card in a qualifying match.

Trump would never resist the spotlight of the World Cup
It was almost inevitable that Trump would find a way to insert himself into the World Cup, which he compared to multiple simultaneous Super Bowls and which creates the kind of global visibility he cannot resist.

However, he took a backseat during the early stage games, appearing more focused on celebrations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence - an event in which critics said he also intervened excessively. But the Balogun incident was probably too big for Trump to ignore.

He is a dedicated and well-informed sports fan, and has often used the sports world to push his political and culture war themes - or as a forum to flaunt his own power.

Earlier this year, Trump celebrated the U.S. ice hockey team's triumph over Canada at the Winter Olympics as proof that America was "winning again" under his leadership, injecting a partisan note into what had been a national moment of unity.

And Trump's political career shows that he hardly sees the rules as an impediment. It doesn't matter how you win. What counts is winning.

A source familiar with the matter told CNN that Trump spoke to Infantino after Balogun's red card and asked him to review the decision. The two have something of a bromance, and the FIFA chief's support has often seemed like a direct political endorsement of an extremely controversial president.

Infantino is often at Trump's side. He even appeared at a Gaza peace summit in Egypt last year. After the inaugural rally for Trump's second term, Infantino declared on Instagram: "Together we will make not only America great again, but the whole world."

The head of FIFA has long faced political scrutiny. He had to answer for alleged human rights abuses in the construction of stadiums in Qatar before the last World Cup, and for the decision to award the 2034 edition to authoritarian Saudi Arabia.

Infantino's critics were even more upset when he awarded Trump the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize after the US president failed to win his version of the Nobel Prize. But Infantino argued that it is essential for the FIFA chief to maintain cordial ties with the leader of a host nation.

The closeness to the federation is especially notable because the US government - including the FBI, Department of Justice and IRS - was instrumental in exposing FIFA's biggest corruption scandal in 2015.

The Balogun affair will continue for a long time
With the precedent set, who can say whether other powerful world leaders might think they can score a political victory by putting pressure on FIFA over an on-field incident? And every controversial move for the remainder of the World Cup will now face enormous scrutiny.

If FIFA invoked its nebulous powers to suspend Balogun's punishment, wouldn't it now be obliged, as a matter of honor, to do the same for any player from any other nation?

This issue came to a head on Sunday night (5), when English defender Jarell Quansah was also sent off following a VAR review and, under FIFA rules, now faces a one-game ban.

There was another bombshell story from the World Cup, when Brazil was eliminated from the tournament thanks to a double from the imposing Norwegian striker Erling Haaland.

But the furor generated by the story of Trump and the United States' leading goalscorer has raised the damaging specter that events off the field - as well as those occurring on it - could alter the fate of the golden trophy that the president is due to present in two weeks.

That's unfortunate for a tournament that previously offered a welcome distraction from divisive American politics.

Uefa blasts FIFA for releasing Balogun for the World Cup: "He crossed a red line"

Source: CNN