Analysis by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News July 6, 2026

U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red card suspension was reversed after President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of the controversial call in the U.S.’s 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup round of 32.

Leftist media are furious with the decision and insist now that if the U.S. goes on and wins against Belgium and goes even further its triumphs will have been tainted by Trump.

So, in the mind of the Trump-haters in that media bubble, the president somehow invented a rule to get Balogun, who leads the team with 3 goals in this year’s tournament, back on the pitch.

No so.

FIFA used Article 27 of its disciplinary code to defer the ban to a probationary period, making Balogun eligible to play.

Balogun received the red card for stepping on the right ankle of Bosnia’s Tarik Muharemovic. On Friday, Balogun said he thought a yellow card instead of red “would have been fair.”

Trump, seeming to know more about FIFA’s rules than his many media haters, phoned Infantino to ask for a review.

Article 27 states: “The judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure. By suspending the implementation of the sanction, the judicial body subjects the person sanctioned to a probationary period of one to four years.”

Had the call for review come from someone on the Left, a sports or Hollywood star maybe, the media would likely have hailed them for sticking up for the American striker.

Washington Post opinion writer Kate Andrews insists that Trump’s appeal on Balogun’s behalf could sabotage how the American team is viewed.

“Other teams will not be happy about this, but the biggest impact that this has is [on] U.S. Soccer fans. I think the president has misunderstood the beautiful game,” Andrews wrote. “Part of it is that you don’t always get the call you want. There’s real disappointment. There’s the hope that kills you. This is part of the beauty of soccer. And the point is that you have to triumph over what are often perceived to be unfair calls.”

“I think the biggest disappointment for me, anyway, [and] I’m sure for a lot of Americans, is if the USA continues to advance — and this is one of their best world cups in decades — I think a lot of people out there will feel like it was unfair. Like they didn’t actually win it. Because part of it is that you have to overcome the adversity and what are perceived sometimes be unfair calls. You can’t have people calling up, making a phone call in your favor to get you the win.”

FIFA Article 27 and this World Cup’s own history would indicate that the WaPo writer is full of it.

Trump, who knows all about overcoming adversity, stated: “All I did was ask for a review. I didn’t say you have to do this. This man is a smart, tough man, Gianni Infantino. He’s a smart, tough man, and his stock has gone through the roof because the job he’s done has been great. And I feel we have to have all the best players on the field.

“The people in Belgium, if they win the game, they can be very proud. If they would win the game with a player missing, it would have been a different feeling. You can’t do that.”

And the Trump-hating media fail to mention this inconvenient truth:

Portgual’s superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was allowed to play in this year’s World Cup after receiving a red card and an initial three-match suspension during the World Cup qualifiers. Ronaldo sat out one qualifying game, but would have missed the first two matches of the World Cup. FIFA’s disciplinary committee explained that the final two matches of his suspension were deferred under a one-year probationary period.

On of those two matches in the group stage for Portugal was against Uzbekistan. Ronaldo had two goals in that match.

Additionally, France center back Laurent Koscielny (2014), Croatian forward Mario Mandžukić (2014) and the Netherlands’ Phillip Cocu (2006) all had bans which would have bled into World Cup play suspended in recent years.

Freedom Rocks! Until It Is Gone

  World Cup: U.S. got top goal scorer back after Trump intervened; and WaPo is furious, WorldTribune.com