FIFA lifts Balogun's World Cup suspension after Trump calls Infantino

US President Donald Trump personally asked FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the red card shown to Folarin Balogun, the American forward who was sent off in a 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. FIFA announced Sunday that the suspension was lifted, drawing praise from Trump and outrage from Belgium.

Balogun, the US top scorer with three goals, received a straight red card for stepping awkwardly on Tarik Muharemović's right ankle. The automatic one-match suspension was deferred for a probationary period of one year. If Balogun commits a similar offense within that period, the ban will be enforced.

Trump thanked FIFA for “doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice” in a social media statement. The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished,” and Belgium coach Rudi Garcia mocked the decision, comparing it to an April Fools' joke. “I didn’t know that in the offices of FIFA the 5th of July was the 1st of April in Europe,” Garcia said.

US players learned of Balogun's availability through social media posts during a bus ride to training. Balogun will be eligible to play against Belgium on Monday.

FIFA based its decision on Article 27 of its disciplinary committee rules, which allows full or partial suspension of a sanction. Similar deferrals were previously granted to Cristiano Ronaldo, Nicolás Otamendi, and Moisés Caicedo.

US Soccer said Balogun would not be available for comment Sunday. He posted a picture of himself in front of US fans with Michael Jackson's “Bad” as background music.

Balogun, 25, was born in Brooklyn to Nigerian parents and switched national team affiliation from England in 2023. He plays for Monaco and has 12 goals in 30 international appearances. With three goals in this World Cup, he tied Landon Donovan for the second-most goals by an American in a single tournament, behind only Bert Patenaude's four in 1930.