It was reported on July 1 that certain White House officials, upset about the suspension of Paularlin Balogun, the leading player on the U.S. soccer team, convened a meeting to address the issue. They convinced U.S. President Donald Trump that if Balogun was unable to participate, the U.S. team might face a significant challenge in the Round of 16, prompting Trump to contact FIFA President Gianni Infantino. In the end, FIFA decided to impose a suspended sentence.
As reported by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), right after the U.S. and Bosnia and Herzegovina’s World Cup Round of 32 game on July 1, the White House acted quickly. While the U.S. progressed to the Round of 16 with a 2-0 win, Balogun’s red card made the situation far from a joyous one. U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Andrew Giuliani, who leads the White House World Cup task force, took immediate action. Giuliani is the son of former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. The two had several conversations with Trump, convincing him that “the red card Balogun received was not only unjust but also affected the Round of 16 match against Belgium.” Trump directed his team to explore ways to overturn the suspension. Lutnick and Giuliani, along with others, worked with lawyers to prepare legal arguments. Specifically, they believed that the referee’s method of analyzing the foul using slow-motion video replay was flawed.
Meanwhile, Trump contacted Infantino. Infantino, who has been in charge of FIFA since 2016, has consistently had a strong connection with Trump. At first, he mentioned he would “review the issue” but did not commit to reversing the decision. A few days later, during their second conversation, it is said that Infantino told Trump that Balogun’s suspension would be lifted. Trump posted on social media, “Thank you to FIFA for doing the right thing.”
FIFA implemented Article 27 of the disciplinary regulations. This rule is similar in concept to a “suspended sentence” given by a court. However, there are no clear guidelines on when or under what circumstances this regulation can be used. Belgium, set to play against the U.S. in the Round of 16, has filed a protest. Rudy Garcia, the Belgian coach, remarked, “Is this an April Fool’s joke that happened in July?” The U.S. team has been asserting since immediately after the Round of 32 match that “Balogun did not commit a foul deserving a red card.” Meanwhile, online posts mocking the situation have appeared, including an AI-generated video depicting Balogun holding a “‘Trump card’ featuring an image of Trump” as the referee issued the red card.
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