Statement from FIFA President

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has released a statement addressing the significant debate surrounding the conditional suspension of U.S. national team forward Folarin Balogun during the World Cup. Balogun had received a red card in a previous match, which would have typically meant an automatic one-game ban for the knockout stage.

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FIFA's disciplinary committees operate independently. Their independence is a fundamental prerequisite for the credibility and integrity of football, and it must always be respected.

However, FIFA decided to make Balogun's suspension conditional, meaning he would only serve it if found guilty of a similar offense within the next twelve months. This unprecedented move in World Cup history followed contact from U.S. President Donald Trump, who reportedly expressed his view that the foul did not warrant a red card, and a request for review from the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Infantino used his statement to emphasize the core principle of FIFA's governance: the independence of its disciplinary committees. He confirmed that he regularly discusses World Cup matters with the U.S. President and acknowledged Trump's call. During their conversation, Infantino explained the formal legal process within FIFA's independent judicial bodies and assured Trump that the matter would be handled by the appropriate authorities upon completion of that process.

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It is true that I regularly discuss World Cup matters with the President of the United States, and I received a call from President Donald Trump. In the conversation, I explained to the president that a formal legal process is underway with FIFA's independent judicial bodies and that the matter will be handled by the competent authorities when that process is complete.

While Infantino stated he reads the disciplinary committee's rulings when they are published and sometimes finds them surprising or disagrees with them, he affirmed his consistent respect for their decisions and their autonomy. He stressed that personal agreement or disagreement with a ruling is secondary to the importance of respecting independent institutions and the rule of law to protect the integrity of competitions and FIFA's credibility.

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This is how FIFA operates, and it is a principle that I will always stand by. I read the decisions of the disciplinary committee when they are published. Sometimes they surprise me. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree. However, what I always do is respect their decisions and their independence.