Outrage, alarm over reports that FIFA suspended ban on US player after Trump’s intervention

United States star striker Folarin Balogun will join the US men’s national team on Monday night (Tuesday morning IST) as they face Belgium in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.

That’s after FIFA made the decision to suspend a one-game ban that had been triggered by a red card against Balogun in the US team’s last match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to multiple media reports – including in The New York Times, The Guardian and Associated Press – this decision came after US President Donald Trump personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to lobby for the reversal.

The US team, perhaps unsurprisingly, welcomed the ruling, which could significantly improve their chances against Belgium. As did Trump himself, who posted on Truth Social: “Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice!”

But in a statement, the Royal Belgian Football Association said it was “astonished” by FIFA’s decision. It argued the decision ran counter to the rules of the tournament, where a red card automatically results in a player being suspended for a team’s next match.

The association said it was investigating “all potential options”, which presumably includes legal action.

Sport has always been deeply political, but this normally occurs off the field of play. If true, reports Trump has used political power to change on-field decisions signal a...

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