President Donald Trump confirmed that he asked FIFA to review U.S.soccer player Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension before the organization reversed its decision, allowing the star striker to participate in Monday night’s match.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.“I asked for a review by FIFA,” Trump said, responding to a reporter’s question during an Oval Office event on Monday.
At the same time, the president said he had “nothing to do with the decision.”FIFA’s reversal sparked a firestorm in the sporting world as the U.S.prepares for the match against Belgium.
Balogun, who is regarded as one of the top U.S.players, had initially been banned from playing in Monday’s match after he received a red card last week.The president confirmed he spoke with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, calling the FIFA chief “highly respected.” Trump said that he understands sports “really well,” adding that he did not believe Balogun’s action was a foul.
Instead, he said he believed the incident was a matter of “two great athletes that crashed into each other and got entangled.” “That was not a guy punching somebody in the face or anything that, you know, would be different,” Trump said, going on to criticize the referee.He railed against the idea of the star player being prohibited from participating in the next World Cup match.
President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino shake hands in the Oval Office on March 7, 2025.Jim Watson / AFP via Getty Images file“It’s one thing to penalize somebody for the game, but how do you penalize them for a game that hasn’t been played yet?” Trump said.“It’s very unfair.
You can’t do that.So, yes, I asked for a review by FIFA.”Trump argued that “no matter what happened, you have to let them use their best players.”Asked later whether he believed his actions could start a new precedent for powerful leaders...