Banned former FIFA president criticizes organization's decision on Folarin Balogun

Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter reacted to the shot organization’s determination to suspend USA World Cup prima Folarin Balogun’s reddish paper prohibition up of the squad’s lucifer against Belgium.

Blatter was banned doubly by FIFA aft a corruption probe and remains suspended from participating successful enactment activities until 2027. Current FIFA President Gianni Infantino yet replaced Blatter arsenic the head.

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FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter greets the USA squad anterior to their 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup lucifer against North Korea astatine Chengdu Sports Center Stadium. The lucifer ended successful a 2-2 draw. (CSPA / USA TODAY Sports)

Balogun received a reddish paper during the U.S. triumph implicit Bosnia and Herzegovina for stepping connected the ankle of a defender portion trying to corral a ball. The paper was issued aft a VAR review. Amid the uproar, a root told Fox News that President Donald Trump called Infantino and asked that FIFA reappraisal the play. On Sunday, the reversal was announced.

"Red cards are not overturned by governmental telephone calls," Blatter wrote connected X. "They are overturned by rules, grounds and autarkic bodies. If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a subordinate is abruptly cleared earlier a World Cup knockout lucifer — the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA?

"Football indispensable ne'er go a playground for governmental power."

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Folarin Balogun of the United States celebrates aft scoring the USMNT's 3rd extremity successful the archetypal fractional of Group Stage, Group D lucifer against Paraguay connected June 12, 2026 successful Inglewood, California. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images)

Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik and White House task unit person Andrew Giuliani enactment unneurotic a squad of lawyers extracurricular the White House to situation the usage of slow-motion replay to springiness Balogun the reddish card, according to OutKick laminitis and Fox News contributor Clay Travis.

It’s unclear however overmuch FIFA took the attack into account.

Belgium reportedly was granted the close to entreaty the determination and asked FIFA for a broad mentation connected wherefore the suspension was enactment off.

The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was "astonished" and Belgium manager Rudi Garcia mocked FIFA’s ruling.

"I didn’t cognize that successful the offices of FIFA the 5th of July was the archetypal of April successful Europe," Garcia said done a translator. "The Belgian federation does not support itself, it does not support the nationalist team. She defends shot successful general, she defends her integrity, her ethics. I deliberation it’s the archetypal clip successful the past of the World Cup that determination is this benignant of decision."

Folarin Balogun of the U.S. is consoled by teammates Giovanni Reyna and Timothy Weah aft receiving a reddish paper during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 lucifer against Bosnia and Herzegovina connected July 1, 2026, successful Santa Clara, California. (Carlos Barria / Reuters via Imagn Images)

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UEFA besides said that FIFA’s determination "crossed a reddish line."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.