Former U.S. President Donald Trump's reported call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino preceded FIFA's decision to reverse a red card ban for U.S. Men's National Team (USMNT) striker Folarin Balogun, a move that has drawn significant international criticism.
The intervention has been labeled by some as political interference in the autonomy of sports, with officials from Europe and the United Kingdom expressing their disapproval.
Glenn Micallef, the European Commissioner for Sport, criticized the suspension's reversal and the alleged political interference. "Decisions on sporting rules and sporting matters belong to sporting bodies, not politicians," Micallef stated on X, formerly Twitter. "Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport."
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer also commented on the controversy. A spokesperson for Starmer emphasized that FIFA's decisions should remain with the governing body. "Those decisions are a matter for the football World Cup governing body and should stay that way, and we are clear in that position," the spokesperson said, adding that the Prime Minister supports the integrity of competition in all sports.
The USMNT team celebrated FIFA's decision to allow Balogun to play in a match against Belgium, although the team also voiced opposition to political influence in sports. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino noted that his team felt "punished" by Balogun's initial ejection, which led to the team playing with one less player. He stated that "99.9% of people agree there was an unfair red card."