With Folarin Balogun’s red card now suspended, ex-FIFA President Sepp Blatter knew exactly what it looked like and let loose against Gianni Infantino, putting himself back in the spotlight.
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The AS Monaco striker will be available to face Belgium for USMNT’s World Cup Round of 16 clash despite being sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina. That was after FIFA stepped in, following reports that US President Donald Trump had made a phone call. The news hasn’t gone down well with neutrals and critics alike, including Joseph Blatter.
“Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls,” Blatter wrote on X. “They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. 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?
“Football must never become a playground for political power.”
Blatter was hinting at The Guardian’s report on July 5 that President Trump had made not one but three phone calls to lobby world football’s governing body to ensure the overturning of Folarin Balogun’s red-card ban. The 25-year-old striker received a direct red card, which accompanies a one-game ban, after a foul on defender Tarik Muharemovic.
Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. 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…
— Joseph S Blatter (@SeppBlatter) July 6, 2026
That is in accordance with Article 10.5 of FIFA’s rules for the 2026 World Cup. However, FIFA has since confirmed in a statement that it has suspended Balogun’s ban “in line with article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code”. Under the code, the American forward’s one-match ban has been “suspended” for one year.
However, if Balogun commits a similar infringement during that period, FIFA will revoke his suspension and immediately ban him for one game, plus the additional penalty for the new infringement. That decision hasn’t gone down well with the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA), among others.
RBFA release statement on Folarin Balogun’s availability
Going into the Round of 16, the USMNT were in trouble. Despite all his issues with injuries, star striker Folarin Balogun had been close to perfect for the Americans, thriving in their opening games. In fact, the 25-year-old had contributed to four of their 10 goals in the tournament so far. Then he got shown a direct red card for a tackle in the USMNT’s Round of 32 matchup against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
That left the USMNT without their star man, and many believed that it would leave them struggling against an experienced Belgium side. However, FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-match ban has altered the course of the Round of 16 tie. That hasn’t gone down well with fans and critics, both of whom are flooding the internet. What’s more, the RBFA released a statement in the aftermath.
“The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is astonished by FIFA’s decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA–Belgium match on Monday, 6 July at 5:00 p.m. (Seattle time),” the statement wrote.
It added, “In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.”
The statement further cited the various FIFA rules and regulations that FIFA had broken by doing so, with the RBFA clearly unhappy. With Balogun now cleared to face Belgium, the controversy has shifted from the tackle itself to FIFA’s decision-making. Whether the governing body offers further clarification could shape how this ruling is remembered.
