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The US team bus was heading to the training ground, and phone screens lit up one after another. News alerts popped up: Balogun's suspension lifted, available to play against Belgium tomorrow.
The US team bus was heading to the training ground when phone screens lit up one after another. News alerts popped up: Balogun's suspension lifted, he can play against Belgium tomorrow.
Defender Chris Richards later recalled to the Associated Press that many on the bus first thought it must be an AI-generated fake news.
It wasn't fake news. Real privilege had arrived. On this ordinary Sunday, July 5, FIFA officially notified the US Soccer Federation: According to Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code, Folarin Balogun's one-match ban was suspended for one year. In plain English, it's a reprieve—if he reoffends within a year, both penalties will be enforced.
Tomorrow is July 6. At Seattle's Lumen Field, in the World Cup Round of 16 match between the US and Belgium, Balogun will start.
Five days ago, the script was completely different. On July 1, in the Round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the 64th minute, Balogun stepped on Bosnian defender Muharemović. The Brazilian referee went to the sideline to check VAR, then came back and pulled out a red card directly. The US team eventually won 2-0, with Tillman adding another goal in the 82nd minute, securing the US men's team's first World Cup knockout victory since 2002.
But winning couldn't erase the straight red card. According to the rules, an automatic one-match suspension followed. Balogun was supposed to sit in the stands and watch his teammates fight it out against Belgium.
Then the phone rang.
Trump called Infantino. No one is sure of the exact time; Sky News insists it was Wednesday, while other media only confirm "the call was made." After hanging up, Trump posted on Truth Social: "FIFA did the right thing by correcting a massive injustice." The White House official account immediately reposted with a caption: USA-USA-USA 🦅.
Infantino was no stranger to taking this call. As early as February 28, 2025, he had publicly stated: "Maintaining close relations with President Trump is absolutely crucial for the success of the 2026 World Cup." By June 2026, The New York Times had published a lengthy article titled "The Man Trumpifying FIFA," which directly used the term "bromance."
FIFA's Article 27 of the Disciplinary Code, used to rescue Balogun, is worded rather neutrally, allowing the Disciplinary Committee to "suspend the enforcement of already pronounced disciplinary sanctions." It doesn't overturn or reduce the penalty; it just hangs the Sword of Damocles overhead, with no action taken during the probation period.
Eight months ago, this same rule was applied to Cristiano Ronaldo. In November 2025, during a World Cup qualifier between Portugal and Ireland, Ronaldo elbowed an opponent and received a red card, resulting in a three-match ban. On November 25, FIFA invoked the same Article 27, suspending the remaining two matches for one year, allowing Ronaldo to play in the World Cup as usual.
No president made a call, no White House tweeted, and no "massive injustice" was claimed. The same clause: for Ronaldo, it was routine; for Balogun, it required White House intervention.
Why was Balogun worth the president personally intervening to save?
He is the sharpest weapon on the US team in this tournament, the most irreplaceable man upfront. Without him, the US team's attack is effectively halved.
Now, the weapon is back.
Europe erupted in outrage.
The Belgian Football Association's official statement that day showed no restraint: "We are shocked by FIFA's decision, which contradicts FIFA's own disciplinary rules." Head coach Rudy Garcia went further, comparing July 5 to April Fools' Day. Norway coach Ståle Solbakken dropped five "terrible" remarks in an interview: "This is a terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible decision." Wayne Rooney blasted on a live show: "The pardon for Balogun is a disgrace to football. Infantino should be ashamed."
The British Sun even reported that Belgium was considering suing FIFA, but this information is currently exclusive with no secondary confirmation.
Amid the backlash, some spoke up for Balogun. Zlatan Ibrahimović said on a TV show: "Balogun shouldn't have received that red card in the first place. The referee should have corrected the decision faster." German commentator Thomas Helmer wrote a harsh piece in Die Welt: "The word 'scandal' is no longer sufficient to describe this."
What truly soured the situation was a penalty issued ten days earlier.
On June 24, FIFA imposed an indefinite global ban on the Nepal Football Association, with the reason clearly stated: third-party government interference in football governance. Nepal, with a population of 30 million, can't field a starting lineup capable of playing in top five leagues. The ban brought all national teams to a halt, canceled club international matches, and the Kathmandu Post called it a "lost generation."
Eleven days later, the US president personally intervened in a player's suspension decision. FIFA didn't suspend the ban; instead, it used Article 27 to bail him out.
Nepal was kicked out of the football world for political interference; the US got its top striker back through political interference. The same FIFA, the same month. The only difference is how many votes and dollars the intervenor holds.
Balogun himself was happy. After the news broke, he posted on Instagram: "Yes sir, we're going to win the whole thing 🔥🇺🇸🦅".
The players on the US team bus came back to reality. It wasn't AI-generated fake news. It was real. Their sharpest weapon was back.
Tomorrow, at Seattle's Lumen Field, in the World Cup Round of 16. Balogun will likely start. If he scores, Trump's Truth Social will win again.
As for the Disciplinary Code, the Nepal Football Association probably wants to borrow it and see if Article 27 says "for major powers only."