Trump's FIFA Intervention Comes With 1 Very Awkward Twist

Trump’s FIFA intervention highlights the tension around U.S. eligibility and discipline decisions in the build-up to the 2026 World Cup. The U.S. president is reported to have called FIFA’s Peace Prize-awarding president Gianni Infantino to request a review of Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension. Balogun, who plays for Monaco in France’s Ligue 1, was sent off during the United States’ Round of 32 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina and received an automatic one-match ban ahead of Monday’s Round of 16 against Belgium. FIFA announced on Sunday that the suspension was overturned. Trump posted on Truth Social thanking FIFA for reversing an “injustice,” while critics pointed to perceived hypocrisy, including the contrast between his long push against birthright citizenship and this outcome.