Sam Liccardo said he “groaned excessively” when the U.S. national team’s Folarin Balogun was given a red card.

Yet the Silicon Valley representative objected after President Donald Trump pressed FIFA to review the play at issue, before the world soccer organization suspended the penalty and allowed the U.S.’ lead scorer to play in today’s knockout round match against Belgium.

“We can’t win this way,” Liccardo, a Democrat, wrote on social media. “I won’t cheer FIFA’s capitulation to power.”

Few other American politicians have expressed a similar sentiment, perhaps wary that they’ll be viewed as rooting against their own country’s success. But Liccardo joined a chorus of international officials who took issue with the pressure campaign that culminated in Balogun’s return to the pitch, while stressing that the “right outcome” had been reached despite what he viewed as foul play by FIFA leadership.

“The fact that we should see this outcome after this corruption summit between FIFA and Donald Trump accentuates the distaste for many,” he told POLITICO in an interview just over an hour before the U.S.-Belgium match.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Were you at the match where the red card was issued in Santa Clara?

I was not, I’m ashamed to say. It’s slightly outside my district, and a few thousand dollars outside my tax bracket. … I watched on television and cheered wildly for the U.S. team, and groaned excessively when Balogun got his red card.

Democrats have accused President Trump of a lot of instances of corruption throughout his second term, so why speak out on this particular incident?

Well, I think in your question there’s an implication, and it’s a fair one, which is: Far be it from me to suggest that FIFA could ever be corrupt. But at least we could say that for once it was Americans that benefited from the corruption, not the Qataris or the Russians.

Look, I root for the U.S. men’s team every time they take the field, and, like virtually everyone else watching that game, I felt Balogun was treated very unfairly. That being said, since 1962, FIFA has never allowed a player to appear at a World Cup game after receiving a red card in the game immediately following. The intervention of a head of state — in what should be an international celebration of sports that should be above politics and beyond it — is troubling. And the fact that we should see this outcome after this corruption summit between FIFA and Donald Trump accentuates the distaste for many. [FIFA has repeatedly asserted that Trump’s call for a review had no impact on its decision, and Trump said the same today, while confirming he had asked for another look at the play.]

Do you think your constituents feel the same way?

People feel all kinds of different ways, and I don’t blame anyone for saying, “Hey, this is the right outcome.” That’s fine. I’m simply saying it’s the right outcome for the wrong reasons. And it’s hard to blame you global fans of the sport for having hard feelings.

Like, you said, a lot of people probably feel that this was the right outcome. Has that made this at all a tricky situation for Democrats to address politically?

No, because politicians shouldn’t address this. It’s not my problem to solve, and it’s certainly not Donald Trump’s problem to solve. So, I don’t have any problems. I’m a spectator, like everybody else. I’m simply saying we all want an umpire that calls balls and strikes, and we know that umpires get it wrong plenty of times. We just don’t want somebody bribing the umpire to get us a ball rather than a strike.

You’re a bystander in some ways, but this is also not your first time encountering FIFA. In addition to being a co-chair of the World Cup Caucus, you were the mayor of San Jose when the city was participating in the bidding process to host that tournament. Didn’t you and some of the other Bay Area mayors even go on a tour with FIFA officials of Levi’s Stadium a few years ago?

Yeah, I think we were at the stadium, and then we went to San Francisco. That’s what you do when you’re the mayor of the largest city in the region and you want the World Cup to come to your region.

So, when you say that FIFA is a corrupt organization, has that always been your view, or did this particular incident kind of drive you there?

It’s the view of the Department of Justice that indicted them for more than $150 million in bribes in 2015, it’s the view of lots of other folks who are concerned about how the Qataris ended up with the World Cup. We can go on and on. It’s not my view that matters here. The point is this: Nobody wants to see the head of state of any country calling an international sports organization to get a better call. That’s not the way sports should work.

The Olympics are coming to California in 2028. Should Democrats be trying to guard against Trump exerting influence once again to aid the host country in that international competition?

No, elected officials should be refraining from getting engaged in international sports competitions, the area where people don’t want politics. So it’s not about what we do or don’t do. It’s not about us standing up to Trump or not standing up to Trump. It’s about the fact that we should want international sports competitions to be free of political influence.

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President Donald Trump said earlier Monday that he didn’t know what a red card was before last Wednesday’s U.S.-Bosnia match.

But FIFA President Gianni Infantino actually gave him a lesson on soccer’s disciplinary system during a 2018 Oval Office meeting after the United States secured the right to co-host the 2026 World Cup.

During the visit, which followed the successful United Bid, Infantino explained the sport’s use of yellow and red cards before pulling one of each out from a case.

“In soccer we have referees and they have cards: yellow cards and red cards,” Infantino told Trump. “Yellow card is a warning, and when you want to kick out someone, a red card. Like this!”

Trump appeared amused by the demonstration.

“I like that,” he said picking up the red card and holding it up. “Thank you.”

Infantino then joked that the cards might come in handy beyond the soccer field.

“That could be used for, I don’t know, the next media session,” he said.

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The news that Folarin Balogun would be eligible to suit up against Belgium Monday night was met with near-universal celebration across the country.

Just don’t ask the Belgian fans living here.

POLITICO caught up with several of them at the Belgian embassy’s watch party at Wunder Garten, a trendy bar in Washington’s NoMa neighbourhood.,

“I had to keep up my vomiting,” said Johan Hamels, an Ottawa resident from Leuven in D.C. on a business trip. “Rules are rules. Every team is briefed by FIFA. And for every game, it’s in one of their slides. That you get a red card, you’re off next time.”

Balogun was given a red card in the Americans’ Round of 32 matchup last week against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which typically carries a suspension for the following game. But FIFA suspended his ban on Sunday.

Critics have charged that the White House pressured FIFA into making the switch. European politicians have slammed Balogun’s inclusion, and the Royal Belgian Football Association formally challenged FIFA’s reversal on Monday morning.

And while FIFA insists the ruling had nothing to do with politics, President Donald Trump is taking credit for getting Balogun back on the field.

“I’m Belgian,” said Win Van Dijck, a native of Brussels who has lived in the U.S. for the last five years. “So I appreciate surrealism. But it’s just too much.”

It’s another example of Trump pulling the strings in a tournament that has increasingly strayed into the political arena, they say.

“Having it reversed based on a call from the American God is a little bit lack of workmanship. And it’s sad for the kids here because that’s what they see as an example,” said Brigitte, a retiree who came to the U.S. in 1984.

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Rep. Ro Khanna and Sen. Ruben Gallego rescinded their support of Graham Platner on Monday, with Khanna additionally calling for the Democratic nominee to drop out of the Maine Senate race.

It’s a significant reversal from two formerly staunch Democratic defenders of Platner, following a POLITICO report that a woman who dated Platner said he forced her to have sex with him five years ago.

Platner has denied the allegations, but he also posted on social media that he was “taking the time to reflect on the best path forward” for his candidacy.

“I’ve been very clear that sexual assault or violence against women is a red line,” Khanna (D-Calif.) said on X. “These allegations are very serious and credible. Graham Platner should drop out from the race. I am withdrawing my endorsement.”

In his own social media post, Gallego (D-Ariz.) called the allegations “troubling and deeply serious” while announcing he would no longer back the progressive oysterman.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Monday defended his organization’s decision to defer U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension ahead of the Monday World Cup match between the U.S. and Belgium.

“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent,” Infantino said in a statement posted on X. “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.”

On Sunday, FIFA announced that its disciplinary committee suspended the red card that Balogun received during the U.S. game against Bosnia and Herzegovina. U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that he had called Infantino to lobby for the suspension to be lifted, though the president insisted that “all I did was ask for a review,” and “I didn’t say that you have to do this.”

Infantino acknowledged discussing Balogun’s suspension with Trump but said he explained the “ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies” to the U.S. president.

Infantino added that “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.”

UEFA, European football’s governing body, said in a statement Monday that FIFA’s decision was “incomprehensible and unjustifiable.”

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A high-ranking Dallas police commander met with Egyptian World Cup officials over the weekend to smooth over relations after an altercation between the team’s staff and a city officer.

Deputy Chief Osama Ismail, who speaks Arabic, met and exchanged gifts Saturday with Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan, his brother and team manager Ibrahim Hassan, team captain Mohamed Salah and others, the department said in a statement on social media.

“We understand one conversation can make a difference and respect is demonstrated through actions,” the statement said.

The team — and the Dallas police — made international headlines Thursday night when a Dallas officer was caught on video shouting at and shoving Ibrahim Hassan and other team staffers in the lobby of the team hotel.

Egypt went on to beat Australia in Dallas on Friday. Hossam Hassan said at the postgame press conference that he was satisfied with the police response, adding, “We have nothing to follow up in that regard.”

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President Donald Trump said Monday that he asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the red card issued against a star American soccer player ahead of a monumental last-16 game, but emphasized that he did not unduly influence the controversial decision.

The ruling by the international soccer governing body to suspend a red card issued against American Folarin Balogun during its knockout tilt against Bosnia and Herzegovina sparked concerns over the president’s potential influence over the decision. POLITICO reported Sunday that Trump had called Infantino regarding the red card, which the president subsequently confirmed Monday.

“Yes, I asked for a review by FIFA,” Trump told reporters gathered in the Oval Office.

However, the president rebuffed the idea that his talks with Infantino influenced the decision, even as the FIFA president has cozied up to Trump during his second term — showering him in compliments and creating a new “peace prize” that he awarded Trump ahead of the tournament.

“All I did was ask for a review,” Trump said. “I didn’t say that you have to do this.”

The comments come after a slate of other nations’ soccer federations panned the decision, with the European Commission demanding “fair play and transparent competition” in sports. Belgian officials, whose country will play against the U.S. today, expressed intense consternations and have formally challenged the ruling.

Trump on Monday described his reaction to the initial game call as confused. He characterized the collision between Balogun and Tarik Muharemović as the two players being “sort of entangled” and, upon learning that a red card would bar Balogun from suiting up for the U.S.’s match against Belgium, thought it was “unfair.”

“It is one thing to penalize somebody for the game,” Trump said. “But how do you penalize him for a game that hasn’t been played yet? It’s very unfair, you can’t do that.”

The president took the opportunity to celebrate the success of the World Cup— which has high attendance across its venues and strong viewership — and said Balogun’s red card would have been a “big stain” on the tournament had it been upheld.

The president on Monday cast suspicions on the referee who delivered the red card to Balogun, Brazilian official Raphael Claus, calling him “a little bit suspect, if you check his past.”

Asked by a reporter if he had spoken with the Belgian prime minister, Trump said he hadn’t but would be open to it. Belgium’s foreign minister told POLITICO that the decision “raises many questions,” its soccer federation issued a livid statement in the aftermath of the decision and subsequently challenged Balogun’s eligibilityahead of the match.

“I will tell you this,” Trump continued. “The people of Belgium, if they win the game, they can be very proud.”

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4 min read10 min

We haven’t heard much from the prime minister-in-waiting about the defining issue of the age.

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As Keir Starmer’s premiership draws to a close, talk turns to his legacy. Even as an opposition MP, I recognise his achievements: the Renters’ Rights Bill and Workers’ Rights Bill delivered meaningful protections and undid decades of regression.

Beyond the many U-turns and poor judgements, from disability benefit cuts to the winter fuel allowance, as well as the failure to uphold international law and impose comprehensive sanctions on the Israeli government, history will judge our leaders on the defining issue of the age: the climate and nature crisis. If we are to use that as a yardstick, this Prime Minister has abjectly failed to meet the moment. The Climate Change Committee says so themselves: the government is not moving fast enough to reduce emissions and protect households and businesses from volatile fossil fuel prices. We are woefully ill-prepared for the changes in the climate which are already here.

We recently experienced our second intense heatwave in two months. In 2022, a comparable year, the death toll from extreme heat was around 3,000 people. Homes are flooding, and schools, hospitals and care homes are overheating. Climate breakdown is not a distant prediction. The Global South has already been living with its impacts. It is already here.

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The sustained campaign by climate deniers and fossil fuel companies, financially backing Reform and the Conservatives, has had an effect. The cross-party consensus behind the Climate Change Act was one of Britain’s proudest political achievements. Abandoning it now would not just be a policy failure. It would be a moral one.

Andy Burnham should not repeat Starmer’s mistake of treating climate and nature as second order. I welcome signs he’ll govern in a less tribal, more collaborative way, which matters for restoring trust in politics. On climate and nature, however, he has said very little. My message is clear: climate resilience and nature restoration must be central to his programme, and Green MPs stand ready to help deliver it.

That starts with ruling out new oil and gas fields. Drilling at Rosebank alone would generate around 200m tonnes of CO2, more than 28 low-income countries emit in a year combined, without lowering bills or improving energy security.

The UK has some of the least energy-efficient housing in Europe. Better insulated homes mean lower emissions, lower bills, and greater resilience to both heatwaves and cold snaps. We need heat plans for every town, city, and county throughout the nation.

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The London Heat Plan unveiled last month is the start of what we should be doing throughout the country, driven and funded by Downing Street, whether in London or Manchester. That means investing in our infrastructure. It means installing air conditioning in hospitals, care homes, schools, and prisons where needed. It means retrofitting the homes most at risk and redesigning our towns with more tree cover, shaded rest spots, and public drinking water.

None of this happens without long-term investment, and that same instability is undermining the clean energy transition that should fund it. Stop-start grant schemes have hit a renewable sector that, per CBI research, contributes £105bn to our economy annually, supports over a million jobs, and has nearly half a trillion pounds of investment in the pipeline.

The next PM must meet the moment: speed up the transition to net zero and start restoring nature in one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth. Denmark shows what’s possible: after decades of straightened rivers and drained marshland, restoring the Skjern River to its natural course brought wildlife back within years. Nature restoration isn’t separate from climate resilience. It’s part of the answer. We need the next prime minister to invest in both, properly, now, or he will push this crisis onto the next generation, making it harder, costlier, and eventually too late to stop the worst of it. The technology exists, and the economics are overwhelming.  There is no case for delay.

Burnham will either be the prime minister who finally provided the political will this crisis demands, or he will be judged as Starmer will be: as a leader who knew exactly what was coming and looked away.

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Adrian Ramsay is the Green Party MP for Waveney Valley

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