US President Donald Trump confirmed he had spoken to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and urged him to review US striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension, which was later put on hold, allowing the forward to play against Belgium in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.
Hours later, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also backed FIFA’s decision, calling it the “right decision” and arguing that football matches should be played with both teams at full strength so there is no question over the result.
Trump says he personally called FIFA president
Speaking at the Oval Office, Trump revealed that he had called FIFA President Gianni Infantino and urged him to review the red card. “I said I think it should be reviewed, because I watched the play, and he didn’t do anything wrong,” Trump told reporters.
Trump also rejected the referee’s decision that Balogun had fouled Bosnia and Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic.
Trump said he was happy that both teams would now be able to play at full strength. “The game tonight is going to be amazing, and we’re going to have a full team, and Belgium is going to have a full team,” he said.
He added that if Belgium defeated the United States with both teams at full strength, it would be a victory they could truly celebrate.
“If they beat us, then they can be really proud.” Trump then repeated his false claim about the 2020 US presidential election, saying, “The other way, if they beat us … I say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020, but I won’t get into that.”
"If they beat us, I say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020."
— Blue Georgia (@BlueGeorgia) July 6, 2026
— Trump admitting that it's only rigged if he loses. pic.twitter.com/MXq61z5DWg
FIFA rejected Belgium’s challenge over Folarin Balogun’s eligibility after suspending the automatic one-match ban he received following his red card in the United States’ 2-0 Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. The suspension was put on hold under Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code after President Donald Trump urged FIFA to review the case, clearing Balogun to face Belgium in Monday’s FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match in Seattle.
Rubio defends FIFA’s decision on ‘red card’ row
Speaking alongside Chile’s Foreign Affairs Minister Francisco Mackenna, Rubio said Balogun should never have been sent off in the first place.
“It was a bad decision (to give Flo a red card). They shouldn’t even be reviewing these things in slow motion, right? It should be reviewed in live action. I think it was the right decision to reverse it,” Rubio said. He added that Belgium, too, should want to face the United States with its strongest possible team.
“And if you are Belgium, why would you want to play a game and win a match, and then everyone will argue you did not really win it because their best player, leading scorer, was not on the pitch during that match. So it is kind of unusual, because generally speaking, I mean, if you are playing, you want the other side to be at its best so that your victory is not tainted in that, in that way.”
Rubio said he had heard from many people familiar with football that the red card should never have been given. “So I think it was the right decision, obviously there’s a lot of drama around it and so forth, but I think it was the right decision to reverse it because that decision initially, from everyone I have heard, I am not an expert, you know, I do not claim to be a soccer expert, but from everyone I have heard that knows about this, they all say that, you know, the guy’s head was not even looking down, it was not like he knew where he was stepping.”
He said Balogun did not appear to deliberately step on his opponent’s leg or intend to hurt anyone.
‘Maybe will bring it up at NATO’
Rubio said he hopes both the United States and Belgium take the field with their strongest possible squads.
“So look, I… maybe it turned into an international incident, I do not know, maybe we will bring it up at NATO tomorrow or whatever with the Belgians and everybody else, but I just hope the match will go on, everyone will be at full strength, and the winner will be the winner.”
He added that if Belgium wins, the victory would mean even more because it would have come against a full-strength US team. “And if it is Belgium, they have a very good team, you know, they will move on and they can say they beat the US at full strength at home, and that would be a big victory like what you saw the UK do last night, you know, on the road in Mexico, in a very tough environment.”
Belgium unhappy with FIFA’s decision
The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision to allow Balogun to play.
In a statement, the federation said: “The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) has received the decision of the FIFA Appeal Committee, signed by its member Mr Salman Al-Ansari, which declares the RBFA’s case inadmissible and confirms the earlier decision allowing United States player Folarin Balogun to play.”
The RBFA also claimed FIFA had not explained why it reached the decision.
“To date, the RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure, i.e., a copy of the decision and the motivation declaring the player eligible as well as the referee’s report. This is a breach of FIFA regulations.”