Balogun, Trump and FIFA’s World Cup red card controversy: 5 things to know 

The World Cup clash on Monday night between the U.S. and Belgium will fall against a backdrop of international anger after FIFA revoked the suspension of a star American striker following an inquiry by President Trump.  

FIFA suspended the red card for Folarin Balogun, which would have led to a one-game suspension, after Trump urged the head of FIFA to intervene against a widely-panned red card.

It’s now the biggest story in politics and sports ahead of Monday night’s big game.

Here are five things to know.

Trump at the center of red card controversy  

Both the president and head of FIFA have confirmed they spoke in recent days about the red card handed down to Balogun, which came in the second half of the U.S. win over Bosnia and Herzegovina and was widely seen as a bad call.  

On Sunday, FIFA said the red card would be suspended, allowing Balogun to play.

That decision sparked an outcry from Belgium and many voices in Europe after Trump acknowledged his intervention.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who has frequently appeared with Trump over the last year and who awarded the president with a peace prize at one point, defended his federation’s decision in a statement, saying it was “independent” of Trump or other concerns about officiating raised by fans in the U.S. and across the globe.  

“I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree,” he said. “What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them. Whether we personally like a decision or not is irrelevant. Respect for independent institutions and the rule of law is what protects the integrity of our competitions and the credibility of FIFA at all times.”

Trump during a news conference on Monday said the decision to give Balogun a red card was “horrible” and criticized the referee who awarded it.

“I’m a person that loves sports. And I understand sports really well and that wasn’t a foul,” Trump told reporters. “So yes, I asked for a review by FIFA. I spoke to a man who’s highly respected … and he was good before this started. He’s the one that really pushed it in this country and I’m the one that got them to do it.”  

Trump also said that if Belgium defeated the U.S. with Balogun playing, it would beat the best the U.S. had to offer. If they won with Balogun suspended, he said it would be seen as “rigged,” just like the 2020 election that Trump has........

© The Hill