Blatter slams FIFA over Balogun’s red card reversal after Trump intervention

Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter has issued a stinging rebuke of FIFA’s decision to clear US forward Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16 despite an automatic suspension, warning that “football must never become a playground for political power” amid reports that President Donald Trump personally contacted FIFA over the matter.

Football’s biggest stage just collided with Washington’s biggest personality — and the fallout is global.

Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter fired a pointed warning at world football’s governing body on Monday after FIFA controversially cleared United States striker Folarin Balogun to feature in the USA’s Round of 16 World Cup clash against Belgium, overriding an automatic one-match suspension triggered by his straight red card during America’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies,” Blatter said in a statement, directly questioning the integrity of the process.

He went further: “If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match — the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA?”

The controversy deepened following reports by GiveMeSport Senior Football Correspondent Ben Jacobs that the White House made a direct call to FIFA requesting a review of Balogun’s dismissal. President Trump subsequently posted on social media: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice.”

FIFA cited Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code to justify the decision to suspend Balogun’s ban for one year, making him immediately available. But the Royal Belgian Football Association, as reported by SaharaReporters, pushed back hard, arguing that Article 66.4 of the same code and Article 10.5 of the World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations both clearly mandate automatic next-match suspensions for red cards.

“The Royal Belgian Football Association is astonished by FIFA’s decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play,” the Belgian federation stated, adding it was exploring all available legal and regulatory options.

FIFA, for its part, maintained that its independent disciplinary committee’s decision was unaffected by external influence.

Balogun, 25, was dismissed for a challenge on Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic during the Round of 32 fixture.