President Donald Trump has publicly acknowledged that he personally contacted FIFA to request a review of the one-match suspension handed to United States striker Folarin Balogun at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Balogun, 25, had received a straight red card during a group-stage match against Bosnia-Herzegovina, following a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic. The dismissal carried an automatic one-match ban that would have ruled him out of the United States' last-16 encounter against Belgium in Seattle.

FIFA subsequently took the extraordinary step of suspending that ban for 12 months, allowing Balogun — who has netted three goals at the tournament — to take his place in the squad for the knockout tie.

Trump: 'It was the right decision'

Speaking from the White House on Monday, Trump said FIFA "made the right decision," and argued that enforcing the ban would have left a "big stain" on the tournament. He maintained that what happened on the pitch was simply "two great athletes who crashed into each other and got entangled," rather than a foul worthy of a red card.

Trump confirmed he spoke to FIFA president Gianni Infantino but was careful to clarify that he only asked for a review — not for the suspension to be lifted outright. "I can't tell them what to do," he said, adding that he believed it was a FIFA commission, not Infantino alone, that ultimately made the call.

The President also directed criticism at Brazilian referee Raphael Claus, describing the original sending-off decision as "horrible" and calling Claus "a little bit suspect."

Belgium and Tuchel express concern

The Royal Belgian Football Association responded swiftly, saying it was "astonished" by FIFA's ruling. In a statement, the RBFA said it was "deeply concerned by the course of events" and pledged to "continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole."

England head coach Thomas Tuchel also weighed in, warning that the decision set a dangerous precedent. Tuchel, whose own side had defender Jarell Quansah sent off in a dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico, questioned where the boundaries of such interventions should lie.

"Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Where does this start and where does this end?"

Tuchel said he had no answer to those questions — but made clear the matter raised serious concerns about the integrity of the disciplinary process at the FIFA World Cup 2026.