FIFA president Gianni Infantino has insisted the governing body’s disciplinary bodies remain independent, after confirming he took a call from Donald Trump shortly before Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban was suspended, in a decision UEFA has branded “unprecedented” and Belgium has formally challenged.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has moved to defend the governing body’s decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban, confirming he received a phone call from US President Donald Trump on the matter but insisting the ruling itself was made independently. “I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues,” Infantino said. The controversy has quickly become one of the defining talking points of the 2026 World Cup, overshadowing the build-up to the United States’ last-16 match.
What FIFA Actually Decided
Although Balogun’s one-match suspension has been lifted, the red card that led to it remains on his disciplinary record. FIFA instead converted the punishment into a one-year probationary period, relying on Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, which permits certain sanctions to be suspended under exceptional circumstances.
Infantino was clear in his statement that he viewed the decision as separate from his conversation with Trump. “During our conversation, I explained 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,” he said. “That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.” He added that he would “respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them,” regardless of his personal view. “Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant,” he said. “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.”
Trump Welcomes the Outcome
Speaking after the suspension was lifted, Trump praised the decision, calling it “a brilliant decision” and saying he believed Balogun “didn’t do anything wrong.” He went further in his support for the player, describing him as one of the United States’ most important players.
UEFA and Belgium Push Back
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from elsewhere in football’s governing structures. UEFA condemned the move as “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable,” warning that it risks undermining the integrity and credibility of the World Cup. The Royal Belgian Football Association has gone further, lodging a formal appeal with FIFA after Balogun was cleared to play, saying it was “astonished” by the decision.
Beyond the football authorities directly involved, the case has prompted wider concern among officials, former players and governance experts, who argue it raises broader questions about political influence over what is meant to be an independent disciplinary process. Infantino, for his part, has continued to insist that while he regularly speaks with political leaders and other senior figures from around the world, it is FIFA’s independent judicial bodies that determine disciplinary outcomes — rulings he said he would always respect.
