World Cup 2026: Trump says he intervened to overturn red card in what has become a historic scandal

World Cup 2026: Trump says he intervened to overturn red card in what has become a historic scandal Submitted by Yasmine El-Sabawi on Mon, 07/06/2026 - 16:07 The US president said on Monday he only asked for a 'review', but Fifa's reversal has caused global outrage US President Donald Trump addresses reporters in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, DC, on 6 July 2026 (Evan Vucci/Reuters) Off US President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that he called Fifa boss Gianni Infantino directly to ask him to "review" a red card handed down to one of the US team's breakout stars, Folarin Balogun, last week. On Sunday, Fifa stunned the sports world by reversing that red card and giving Balogun a one-year probationary period instead, using its rarely invoked Article 27 from the Fifa Disciplinary Code. The rule is often referred to as the "Cristiano Ronaldo Rule" after a Fifa disciplinary committee infamously invoked the article in November last year, ensuring Ronaldo would be eligible for Portugal's opening matches in the 2026 World Cup.