Balogun Breaks Silence on Trump Role in World Cup Ban Reversal

Folarin Balogun has spoken for the first time about the firestorm surrounding his suspended World Cup ban, admitting the controversy, amplified by President Donald Trump’s personal call to FIFA, unsettled the U.S. squad before their 4-1 Round-of-16 defeat to Belgium.

“My initial reaction was, I was happy to be back in the team. But when I started to reflect, I knew it was gonna cause a lot of controversy, and I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves because it’s something that’s so unique,” Balogun told CBS Mornings. “The closer we got to the game, I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult. A lot of outside noise, and that’s hard to avoid.”

What Happened: The Red Card and the Reversal

Balogun, 25, was sent off after a VAR review in the Round-of-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 in Santa Clara, penalized for stepping on defender Tarik Muharemović’s ankle. The ten-man U.S. still won 2-0, its first World Cup knockout victory since 2002, but the red card carried an automatic one-match ban.

Then came the unprecedented part: FIFA announced the suspension itself was “suspended for a probationary period of one year” under Article 27 of its disciplinary code, the first such World Cup reversal in over 60 years, while fining U.S. Soccer $40,000. Balogun said he “was in shock” at the original call, arguing: “When something is not intentional… it should never be a red card.”

Trump’s Confirmed Intervention

President Trump openly confirmed he called FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request a review. “I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” he told reporters, adding memorably: “I didn’t know what the hell a red card was.” He later thanked FIFA on Truth Social “for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”

Infantino acknowledged the call but insisted the Disciplinary Committee was already reviewing the card and that the president’s outreach did not impact the decision. FIFA noted a similar Article 27 reprieve had been granted to Cristiano Ronaldo during qualifying.

The Backlash: ‘FIFA Crossed a Red Line’

The reversal drew furious condemnation. UEFA called the decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable,” saying FIFA had “crossed a red line.” Belgium’s football association branded it a “direct contradiction” of tournament regulations, but its appeal was ruled inadmissible on the grounds it lacked standing.

Balogun played, and Belgium won 4-1 in Seattle, eliminating the co-hosts. In a telling gesture, Balogun sought out Belgium coach Rudi Garcia after the match to talk.

Balogun on the Aftermath

The striker, who scored three goals at the tournament, insisted the squad compartmentalized once the shock passed: “We’re all professionals, so it’s not something too difficult to separate once we got over the initial announcement that I’d be back in the team. It was a difficult game against Belgium, and that can overshadow whether we were focused or not, but I know we had full concentration.”

He also credited teammates with “a lot of reassurance,” and reflected proudly on the run itself: “It was amazing to be part of it… we were able to unite the country. You could see how many fans and how many young kids were really captured by it.” Balogun says he expects to be back with the U.S. for years to come.

Folarin Balogun on Donald Trump’s intervention in getting his World Cup ban suspended on @CBSMornings: “I knew it was gonna cause a lot of controversy. I could almost see within my teammates a bit of nerves… I tried to just focus as best as I could, but it was difficult with a… pic.twitter.com/ZHzYD7Z6u4

— Melissa Reddy (@MelissaReddy_) July 14, 2026

FAQ

What did Balogun say about the Trump intervention?

That he knew the ban reversal would “cause a lot of controversy,” saw “nerves” among teammates, and found the “outside noise” difficult before the Belgium game.

Did Trump really get the ban lifted?

Trump confirmed calling Infantino to request a review; FIFA insists its Disciplinary Committee acted independently and was already reviewing the case.

Why was the reversal so controversial?

It was the first suspension of an automatic red-card ban at a World Cup in over 60 years; UEFA called it “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.”

Did the U.S. win with Balogun back?

No. Belgium won 4-1 in Seattle, eliminating the USMNT in the Round of 16.

Was the U.S. punished at all?

Yes. FIFA fined U.S. Soccer $40,000 and placed Balogun’s suspended ban on a one-year probation.

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