United States: Balogun affair, Gianni Infantino clarifies Trump involvement

FIFA president speaks frankly about Trump

World Cup 2026 06 July 2026 at 14:12

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United States: Balogun affair, Gianni Infantino clarifies Trump involvement

06.07.26 FT World Cup

USA

Belgium

Facing the press, United States President Donald Trump admitted to intervening before the red card suspension of American striker Folarin Balogun.

Although he has recently been accused of corruption, Gianni Infantino set the record straight.

"The judicial bodies of FIFA are independent. (...) Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the World Cup with the President of the United States, and regarding this subject, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from other heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders, and business executives from around the world on a wide range of topics. During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA's independent judicial bodies, and that the matter would be decided in due course by the competent bodies," Infantino reported. "This is how the FIFA system works, and it is a principle I will always defend.", said the FIFA president.

🚨🚨 OFFICIAL! FOLARIN BALOGUN WILL BE ABLE TO FACE BELGIUM! 🇺🇸✅

FIFA has rejected the appeal from the Belgian Federation. pic.twitter.com/PrDiahHYP3
— Instant Foot ⚽️ (@lnstantFoot) July 6, 2026

"I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are published. Sometimes they surprise me. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I do not. However, what I will always do is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies making them. Whether we personally appreciate a decision or not is irrelevant. It is the respect for independent institutions and the rule of law that continuously protects the integrity of our competitions and FIFA's credibility," he added.

Balogun will indeed take part in the round of 16 clash between the United States and Belgium. Round of 16 match preview: United States vs. Belgium.

Joshua SOSSOU

Editorfr, en, ar

As a sports fan, and particularly a football fan, I've been putting my writing talent to good use for a number of years now to promote African talent and the continent's football in general. On Foot Africa, enjoy reading each of my lines.