U.S. midfielder Christian Pulisic, 10, celebrates with teammate U.S. national team forward Folarin Balogun, 20, after scoring in the first half of the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer match against Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on Friday, June 12, 2026.
Medianews Group/Pasadena Star News Via Getty Images | Medianews Group | Getty Images
President Donald Trump reportedly asked FIFA to reconsider its one-game World Cup suspension of U.S. men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun before the international soccer governing body surprisingly revoked the suspension on Sunday.
President Trump cheered FIFA’s decision to allow Balogun, 25, to play in Monday’s match against Belgium.
Balogun, the U.S. team’s leading scorer, was controversially sent off after receiving a red card for a foul in Wednesday’s 2-0 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The red card resulted in an immediate one-match suspension without appeal, as usual.
But for the first time in more than 60 years, FIFA will allow him to play in another World Cup match, FIFA said in a statement on Sunday: “The automatic match ban imposed on American player Folarin Balogun will be suspended for a one-year trial period.”
The New York Times reported on Sunday that President Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Wednesday and asked him to review Balogun’s suspension, citing three people familiar with the conversation. MS NOW confirmed the report.
The White House did not immediately respond to CNBC’s questions about the allegations that it was involved in the reversal.
But President Trump wrote, “Thank you FIFA for doing the right thing and reversing a great injustice!” on his Truth Social account.
In a statement, the Belgian Royal Football Association said it was “surprised” by FIFA’s reversal of its stance on Balogun’s suspension, which it claimed was a violation of FIFA’s written rules.
“The RBFA is investigating all possible options,” the association said.
President Trump is deeply involved in the event, which the United States co-hosts with Mexico and Canada.
He has developed a close relationship with FIFA president Infantino, who awarded Trump his first peace prize last year after Trump fiercely pursued but failed to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Team USA will face Belgium in the Round of 16 in Seattle on Monday at 8pm EST. The winner of that match will get a ticket to face Portugal or Spain in the quarterfinals.
Balogun, who scored three goals in three games in this World Cup, is an American citizen by birth and grew up in England.
President Trump lost his birthright citizenship case in the Supreme Court last week, with a majority of the justices ruling that individuals born in the United States are U.S. citizens. President Trump issued an executive order last year that drastically limited birthright citizenship.
