Trump confirms he asked Fifa to review Balogun ban

President Donald Trump has confirmed that he asked Fifa to review the one-match suspension imposed on United States striker Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. Balogun, 25, was initially set to miss the last-16 tie against Belgium after receiving a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the previous round.

Fifa's decision to suspend the ban

Fifa made the unexpected decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, a move that drew widespread criticism from Uefa, the Belgian football association, and England manager Thomas Tuchel. The suspension allows Balogun, who has scored three goals in the tournament, to be selected for the match in Seattle, which kicks off at 17:00 local time (01:00 BST on Tuesday).

Belgian FA's response

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) expressed astonishment at the decision and told the United States Soccer Federation that it "contests the eligibility" of Balogun playing in the tie. The RBFA's appeal against the decision was dismissed by Fifa's appeal committee, which ruled that Belgium was not an interested party as they were not involved in the original disciplinary proceedings. Fifa stated: "The request was rendered inadmissible on the grounds that the Belgian FA is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision." The RBFA said it has "still not received any grounds" for the rejection and is awaiting information, including the motivation for declaring Balogun eligible and the referee's report, calling the lack of response a "breach" of Fifa regulations.

Trump's involvement

Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump said he had asked Fifa to review the decision because he "didn't think it was a foul." He confirmed he spoke with Fifa president Gianni Infantino but emphasized that he only requested a review and did not instruct Infantino to suspend the ban. Trump added: "I think it [the suspension] would have left a big stain. I can't tell them what to do. I don't believe they made the decision; I believe it was the commission that made the decision. And it was the right decision." Trump also criticized referee Raphael Claus, calling his decision to send off Balogun "horrible" and labeling the Brazilian official "a little bit suspect."

Reactions from Uefa and CBF

European football governing body Uefa expressed concern that the decision undermined the integrity of the sport. In response to Trump's comments about Claus, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) defended the referee's integrity, stating: "There is nothing in his record that discredits him or gives grounds for any suspicion. He is an exemplary professional."

Infantino's statement

In a statement on X, Infantino said that upon receiving a call from Trump, he informed the US President 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." Infantino later emphasized that Fifa's judicial bodies are "independent" and that their rulings "must always be respected." He added: "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."

When asked by BBC Sport about Trump's comments and his view on Claus, Fifa said it had "nothing more" to add. As a result of the appeal committee's decision, Balogun is free to play against Belgium, as no party remains that could appeal the suspension.