Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter criticized the soccer organization’s decision to suspend the red card ban of USA World Cup star Folarin Balogun ahead of the match against Belgium. Blatter, who remains suspended from FIFA activities until 2027 due to past allegations of corruption, was replaced by Gianni Infantino as FIFA President.
Balogun’s red card occurred during the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina after he stepped on a defender’s ankle following a VAR review. President Donald Trump reportedly intervened by contacting Infantino to request a review of the play. The reversal of the decision was announced Sunday, leading Blatter to question the influence of political intervention on FIFA’s rulings.
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?
He emphasized the importance of keeping football free from political influence. Meanwhile, Folarin Balogun celebrated another goal during a separate game against Paraguay.
According to reports, a team of U.S. lawyers was assembled to challenge the red card’s issuance based on slow-motion replay. Belgium expressed astonishment at the decision and requested a detailed explanation from FIFA.
Belgium’s coach, Rudi Garcia, sarcastically remarked on the timing of the decision, implying that FIFA had made an unprecedented ruling. The Royal Belgian Football Association defended the integrity and ethics of football, suggesting it was unusual for such a decision to occur in World Cup history.
UEFA also criticized FIFA’s decision, stating it had crossed a significant line.