US President Donald Trump with FIFA President Gianni Infantino
Trump thanks FIFA after Balogun's red card suspension deferral
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US President Donald Trump sent a message of thanks to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) following the Disciplinary Committee's decision to suspend the enforcement of the suspension imposed on US national team forward Folarin Balogun, making him eligible to participate against Belgium in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
Balogun had received a straight red card during the United States' match against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32, following a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemović after a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review, which would have automatically required his absence from the subsequent match.
FIFA suspends execution of ban
The international governing body of football explained that the Disciplinary Committee decided to activate Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, which allows for the suspension of the execution of on-field disciplinary sanctions for a probationary period in specific cases.
Under the decision, the red card will remain on the player's disciplinary record; however, the suspension sentence has been deferred for a period of one year. If Balogun commits a similar infraction during this timeframe, the suspended sanction will be activated alongside any new penalty that may be imposed on him.
Trump: FIFA corrected a major injustice
Following the announcement of the decision, Trump posted a message on the "Truth Social" platform praising FIFA's move, stating:
"Thank you to FIFA for doing what is right, and correcting a major injustice."
Trump's message came hours after the announcement of Balogun's eligibility to participate in the highly anticipated match against Belgium.
Strong boost for the US national team
The decision represents a massive boost for the US national team ahead of the Belgium clash, as Balogun is considered one of the team's most prominent stars in the current tournament after scoring three goals and leading his country's national team to the knockout stages.
The US Soccer Federation also welcomed the Disciplinary Committee's decision, confirming that the national team's focus is entirely directed toward facing Belgium in Seattle, while expressing its delight at regaining the team's top goalscorer at this decisive moment.
Precedent in FIFA regulations
This is not the first time the Disciplinary Committee has utilized Article 27; FIFA previously resorted to the exact same procedure in a disciplinary case involving Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, confirming that the Committee possesses the authority to suspend the execution of certain sanctions in accordance with what is stipulated in the regulations.
