Football's Kakistocracy in America

Sports have always been intertwined with politics, but not to the extent that rules are bent to favor one side for its own benefit. Yet, this is precisely what has happened at the ongoing 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by Canada, the USA, and Mexico.

Who is evidently pulling the strings? Unsurprisingly, it's a familiar figure: Donald Trump, a known admirer of dictators and autocrats. According to multiple reports, he was assisted by none other than FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The Swiss official shares a very close relationship with Trump, whom he has repeatedly called a friend.

It's worth noting that Infantino has visited Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and the Oval Office, where he presented Trump with a golden replica of the World Cup trophy, stating it was "only for winners." He also attended a pre-inauguration rally for Trump. The list goes on. BFFs, indeed.

Why is this relevant? Because US national team striker Folarin Balogun will be allowed to play in the Round of 16 match against Belgium, despite receiving a red card in the Round of 32 clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to several international outlets, including The New York Times, Donald Trump allegedly called the FIFA President directly after the match to discuss the red card issued to the American forward, urging the world's top football body to review the dismissal. Reportedly, as many as three phone calls were made.

Furthermore, The New York Times reports that the Trump administration also pressured FIFA, attempting to find "dirt" on the Brazilian referee, Raphael Claus, who sent Balogun off after a VAR intervention. The US President's team allegedly did everything possible to have Folarin Balogun's suspension overturned so he could face Belgium in the Round of 16.

Ultimately, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee overturned the American's red card, instead placing him on a one-year probation, conditional on him not committing a similar offense to the unfortunate challenge on Bosnia's Tarik Muharemovic. FIFA invoked Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code, which grants it the power to suspend a sanction and impose a probationary period.

The Belgian Football Association has pointed out that this sets a huge and controversial precedent. They highlight another rule, Article 66.4, which states that a player must serve a suspension in the very next match following a red card.

The controversy arises because Article 27 is typically applied when a player receives a multi-game ban. After serving one match, they can play in subsequent games under the aforementioned probation. This is precisely the case for Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, who is currently on probation after serving only one match of a three-game ban from before the tournament.

In Balogun's case, FIFA exploited a "loophole" in Article 27, which does not specifically prohibit its use in such a scenario. It is only inapplicable in cases of match-fixing, which was not the issue with Balogun.

The decision was met with a massive wave of criticism from all sides, including the Belgian federation, former players, and top managers like Jürgen Klopp, José Mourinho, and Thomas Tuchel, as well as from UEFA.

Now, any team in the tournament can point to Article 27 and demand its application, given that FIFA was willing to accommodate the Americans. Every tournament has its controversies, especially a World Cup, but this represents one of the most significant rule conflicts at this level.

What has this brought? Nothing but a sour taste to the championship, justifiable questions about its integrity, and an extreme surge in distrust towards FIFA. It also casts a shadow over the United States team and its Argentine coach, Mauricio Pochettino, who are not at fault in this matter.

Their misfortune is the cozy friendship between Infantino and Trump, which allows them to proceed through the tournament unchallenged. After all, with the USA celebrating its 250th anniversary, a mere red card surely won't stand in the way.