Former FIFA president Joseph Sepp Blatter has criticised FIFA over its decision to overturn the suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun following his red card at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Blatter questioned the independence of world football’s governing body, warning that football “must never become a playground for political power.”
His comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump publicly praised FIFA President Gianni Infantino following the decision that made Balogun eligible to play in the United States’ World Cup knockout match.
The decision has sparked widespread debate within the football community, with many questioning whether political influence affected a disciplinary process that FIFA insists is handled independently.
Reacting to the controversy, Blatter wrote on X: “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. Football must never become a playground for political power.”
Balogun was shown a straight red card during the United States’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina for a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic, resulting in an automatic one-match suspension.
However, FIFA later suspended the enforcement of the ban for a one-year probationary period under Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, making Balogun eligible to feature in the Round of 16.
The decision has attracted criticism from several football stakeholders, with concerns raised over fairness, consistency and the integrity of the game’s disciplinary process.
