Fifa president clarifies Donald Trump conversation over rescinding Balogun ban

Fifa President Gianni Infantino has been forced to clarify a conversation he had with US president Donald Trump ahead of Folarin Balogun’s red card being suspended.

Balogun was shown a straight red card during the United States’ last-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina for a challenge on Tarik Muharemovic in which he appeared to scrape his studs down the calf of the defender before landing on, and twisting, his ankle.

The forward has been an influential player for the World Cup 2026 co-hosts and would have missed the last-16 clash with Belgium due to a one-match ban following his dismissal.

But it came as a surprise to see the independent Fifa Disciplinary Committee invoke Article 27 of the disciplinary code – which states: “The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure” – and suspend Balogun’s red card penalty for a year meaning he can play in the game.

That decision followed a conversation between Trump and Infantino leading to widespread rumours of the US president influencing and impacting on the World Cup.

However, Infantino defended his conversation with Trump and explained how the process had remained an independent judgement.

On Monday he released a statement which reads: “I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun, and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA’s governance.

“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.

“Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues. During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.

“I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.

“What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times.”

The decision to allow suspend Balogun’s red card has raised concerns from the FAs of numerous European nations competing in the World Cup with the Belgian FA considering an appeal to reverse the decision and the European governing body Uefa calling out the integrity of the competition.

Belgium face the United States in the last-16 at 1am BST on Tuesday 6 July in