The Controversy of Donald Trump Interfering with FIFA Changing Rules Favoring the United States National Team

Kapanlagi.com - FIFA's decision regarding Folarin Balogun has become one of the most talked-about topics ahead of the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup. The star striker for the United States, who was previously confirmed to be absent due to a red card, has now received the green light to return to play.

This decision immediately sparked various reactions. The President of the United States, Donald Trump, welcomed it enthusiastically, while the Belgian Football Federation questioned the basis of FIFA's decision, which is considered contradictory to the tournament regulations.

With Balogun's status as one of the goal-scoring machines for the United States in the 2026 World Cup, his presence is certainly a significant boost to the host team's chances of advancing to the quarter-finals.

1. Balogun's Punishment Suspended by FIFA

Folarin Balogun received a red card against Bosnia (Credit: AP)

Balogun received a straight red card when the United States defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32. The incident occurred after his foot made contact with the opponent's ankle in a duel, which was later reviewed through Video Assistant Referee (VAR).

From the start, coach Mauricio Pochettino and several teammates deemed the decision too harsh because Balogun had no intention of injuring his opponent.

According to the rules of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), serious fouls are assessed based on the level of danger of the tackle made, not from the presence or absence of intent. FIFA's own rules state that a red card automatically results in a one-match suspension and cannot be appealed by the team.

However, on Sunday night, FIFA announced that Balogun's one-match punishment has been suspended for a trial period of one year, allowing him to play against Belgium in the round of 16 later on.

FIFA did not provide further explanation regarding the reasons behind the decision.

2. Donald Trump Welcomes Positively, Belgium Immediately Protests

Donald Trump's statement regarding FIFA's decision (Credit: @realDonaldTrump)

The FIFA decision came after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio requested that Balogun's red card be overturned. According to him, the United States has been harmed by the referee's decision.

Donald Trump, who is known to have a close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, also expressed his appreciation through his official social media.

"Thank you to FIFA for doing the right thing and reversing a great injustice!"

The White House also celebrated the decision through a post on social media.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press quoted anonymous sources stating that the White House had contacted Gianni Infantino to request a review of Balogun's punishment. A similar report was published by The New York Times, which mentioned that Trump directly asked Infantino to review the sanction.

3. Belgian Federation Calls FIFA's Decision "Shocking"

Official statement from the Belgian Football Federation (Credit: Royal Belgian Football Association)

On the other hand, the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) expressed strong objections to FIFA's decision.

In its official statement, the RBFA stated that it was "shocked" because the decision was considered to directly contradict the regulations of the 2026 World Cup. They also stated that they are studying various steps that can be taken to protect the rights of all tournament participants and uphold the principle of fair play.

Belgium's coach, Rudi Garcia, even made a jab during the press conference.

"I didn't know that at the FIFA World Cup, July 5 has now changed to April 1, and today is April Fool's Day."

Although this is the first case where FIFA has suspended a red card penalty during the World Cup finals, a similar decision has actually occurred during the qualifying phase.

Cristiano Ronaldo was once banned from playing for three matches after receiving a red card in the qualifying round. However, FIFA suspended the last two matches of his punishment, allowing him to miss only one match and still participate from the start of the 2026 World Cup.

A similar case was also experienced by Nicolas Otamendi from Argentina and Moises Caicedo from Ecuador. Both received a suspension of their red card during the qualifiers, allowing them to play in their respective countries' opening matches in the 2026 World Cup.

(kpl/gtr)