US President Donald Trump has confirmed that he contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request a review of Folarin Balogun's red card at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump said he believed the incident did not warrant a dismissal but insisted he did not ask FIFA to overturn the decision.
"I asked for a review because I didn't think it was a foul. All I did was ask for a review, I didn't say you have to do this," Trump said.
"That wasn't even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other."
Balogun, the United States' leading scorer at the tournament, was sent off in the 64th minute of the Americans' Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina after being shown a straight red card for a dangerous challenge.
The dismissal initially meant the 25-year-old would miss the United States' Round of 16 clash against Belgium.
However, FIFA announced on Sunday that Balogun's automatic one-match suspension had been suspended for one year, making him eligible for Tuesday's match against Belgium.
The decision has drawn criticism from several football authorities.
UEFA described the ruling as "unjustifiable," saying it crossed a "red line" and could set a damaging precedent for future disciplinary decisions in international football.
The Belgian Football Association also criticised the move, arguing that it conflicts with the FIFA World Cup 2026 competition regulations. The federation said it is exploring all available options to protect the integrity of the competition.
