FIFA President Gianni Infantino has confirmed that he received a call from United States President Donald Trump regarding the red card decision involving forward Folarin Balogun. 

The football governing body disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday shortly after Mr Trump confirmed that he had personally lobbied Mr Infantino to overturn Balogun’s one-match suspension, which had initially ruled the U.S. forward out of Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16 tie against Belgium. 

Mr Infantino, however, claimed the discussion with Mr Trump was a routine part of his responsibilities, noting that he regularly receives calls from world leaders, football administrators and other stakeholders on a wide range of issues.

Despite concerns raised by football commentators about the political optics of the decision, Mr Infantino stated that the decision to suspend the ban of Mr Balogun ahead of the match against Belgium was independently made by the FIFA disciplinary committee without his interference. 

The statement read, “I have seen the public comments regarding the decision of the independent FIFA disciplinary committee related to the suspension of Folarin Balogun, and I would like to reiterate a fundamental principle of FIFA’s governance.

“FIFA’s judicial bodies are independent. They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA disciplinary code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them. Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.

“Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the president of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues. During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies. That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.

“I read the decisions of the FIFA disciplinary committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree. What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times.”