Trump Admits He Called FIFA Over Balogun Red Card Suspension
President Trump phoned FIFA's top official to question a red card ruling, then admitted he didn't even know what a red card was.
So apparently the leader of the free world is now weighing in on soccer referee decisions. President Trump confirmed he personally called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to push back on the red card suspension handed to Folarin Balogun, the American forward whose card sparked controversy in recent international play.
Here's the kicker — Trump openly admitted he had no idea what a red card even was when he made the call. "I didn't know what the hell a red card was," he said, which is either refreshingly honest or a little alarming depending on how you feel about world leaders inserting themselves into sports disciplinary proceedings. For the uninitiated, a red card in soccer means an immediate ejection from the game plus an automatic suspension for future matches.
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Trump defended the move anyway, arguing the original call against Balogun simply wasn't a foul. His willingness to go to bat for the player — even while admitting he was new to the sport's rulebook — signals how seriously the administration is taking American performance in soccer ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States is co-hosting. When your country is about to throw one of the biggest sporting events on the planet, suddenly referee calls feel a lot more personal.
Whether Infantino took the presidential feedback to heart remains to be seen. FIFA operates as an independent international body, and outside pressure — even from a sitting U.S. president — doesn't typically change the outcome of disciplinary reviews. Still, the call itself is the kind of only-in-the-news-cycle moment that reminds you sports and politics are increasingly impossible to separate.
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