Over the weekend, FIFA added some unexpected drama to Monday night’s round of 16 World Cup showdown between the United States and Belgium when it announced that USMNT striker Folarin Balogun would be eligible to play despite receiving a red card in the previous match.
The decision sparked widespread outrage from the soccer community, especially following reports that United States President Donald Trump spoke to FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request that FIFA review the suspension. Now, Infantino is speaking out.
Balogun Allowed to Play
While Balgoun was facing a one-match suspension following the red card he received during the win against Bosnia and Herzegovina, FIFA announced on Sunday that his punishment for the red card had been suspended in a highly unusual move. FIFA cited article 27 of the FIFA disciplinary code, which is the same portion of the code that FIFA used to suspend a two-match suspension for Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo before the start of the World Cup.
The decision sparked widespread outrage throughout the international soccer community, especially after it was reported that Trump called Infantino to request a review of the foul.
Trump confirmed on Monday that he did indeed call Infantino to request a review of the suspension, but he insisted that he simply asked for a review and did not make any demands or tell them what he thought should happen.
“All I did, I asked for a review, cause I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said during a press conference on Monday via Yahoo. “I didn’t tell them what to do, I can’t tell them what to do. … I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision.”
Infantino Breaks His Silence
In a statement on social media on Monday, Infantino broke his silence on the criticism he and FIFA have been receiving as he reiterated that the decision came from the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, not from him.
“I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the independent FIFA Disciplinary Committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun, and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA’s governance,” Infantino wrote in a statement on X.
“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.”
Infantino confirmed that he did speak to Trump, but he dismissed the idea that the phone call played a role in the decision from FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee.
“Yes, 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. 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. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”
Infantino reiterated that he does not play a role in the process, and he is even sometimes “surprised” by the findings from the discplinary committee.
“I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree,” he added.
“What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. 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.”
As it stands, Balogun will be eligible to play for the United States on Monday night.
About Dave Kelsey
Contributing author to The Comeback.