FIFA Suspends Balogun’s Ban After White House Call | MLS News

Folarin Balogun, the young USMNT striker, was set to miss a massive match against Belgium after a red card — but FIFA pulled a stunning move, suspending his one-game ban for a full year, letting him play in the game that could send the USMNT to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 2002. The White House reportedly intervened, with President Trump personally thanking FIFA — raising eyebrows about political influence. While FIFA has precedent for suspending bans — like when they saved Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup run after his first red card in 200 years — Balogun’s case lacks a clear justification, making this one of the most politically charged decisions in recent football history. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/d01af23a924820ad