Scandal of the Century: FIFA Reverses USA Player’s Red Card After Trump’s Call

An unprecedented scandal has erupted at the FIFA World Cup, already being called one of the most controversial incidents in the tournament’s history. FIFA allowed U.S. forward Folarin Balogun to play in the round of 16 against Belgium despite an automatic suspension after a red card. The decision was made after U.S. President Donald Trump personally contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked for the punishment to be reconsidered.

According to Reuters and AP, Balogun was sent off in the previous match, and the red card automatically meant he would miss the next game under FIFA’s disciplinary regulations. However, the disciplinary committee unexpectedly suspended the sanction, allowing the player onto the field. The organization cited Article 27 of the disciplinary code, but such an application of the rules raised serious questions within the football community.

The reaction was nearly immediate. UEFA said FIFA had «crossed the red line», while representatives of several European football associations called the move dangerous political interference in sport. The Belgian federation also voiced its protest and is considering a legal challenge to the decision.

Particularly shocking was the very fact of a head of state’s involvement in a disciplinary process. Critics believe that if such decisions can be made after a politician’s phone call, it calls into question FIFA’s independence and the equality of all tournament participants. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and several well-known coaches also publicly criticized what happened.

If Balogun does indeed take the field against Belgium, he will become the first player in decades to effectively be allowed to play at a World Cup after being sent off. The last comparable case dates back to the 1962 World Cup, when the suspension of Brazilian legend Garrincha was overturned on appeal — since then, such precedents at the World Cup have practically never occurred.

The scandal has already spread far beyond football. On social media, fans accuse FIFA of double standards and political dependence, while some coaches joke that now all it takes to overturn a red card is to «call the president». One of the most widely discussed remarks was the joke by England manager Thomas Tuchel, who said that perhaps Harry Kane should also call Donald Trump if an English player needs a red card rescinded.

The story has already become one of the main topics of the World Cup. Instead of discussing football, global media are debating where the line lies between sporting fairness and political influence, and FIFA’s decision may remain the subject of proceedings and debate for a long time to come.