Prince Harry, who made a surprise appearance at the TIME100 Sports Gala in New York City on Thursday, sent out sound waves with his photo with a star.
The Duke of Sussex, during his first public engagement after spending a week in England, posed with an American celebrity who became embroiled in controversy following Donald Trump’s personal intervention to overturn his suspension from the World Cup.
At the lavish event, the Duke was recognized among TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in Sports 2026 for establishing the Invictus Games, the international sporting competition for injured and sick military personnel.
However, his photo with American striker Folarin Balogun went viral on social media.
Balogun was sent off with a red card during the United States’ round of 32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, but the FIFA disciplinary committee subsequently lifted his one-match suspension for twelve months, allowing him to participate in the Americans’ round of 16 loss to Belgium.
The decision sparked intense debate, with Trump acknowledging that he had personally intervened on behalf of Balogun and the American co-hosts.
On Tuesday, human rights organization FairSquare filed a complaint with the International Olympic Committee, alleging that FIFA president Gianni Infantino violated political neutrality rules when dealing with the president of the United States over the matter.
Balogun revealed that he had anticipated the reaction that would follow Trump’s involvement.
“My initial reaction was that I was happy to be back on the team, but when I started to reflect, I knew it was going to cause a lot of controversy, and I could almost see my teammates a little nervous, because it’s something unique,” he said.
Harry was recognized alongside prominent sports figures such as LeBron James and Lindsey Vonn in the leaders category. Birmingham will host next summer’s Invictus Games, where around 550 competitors from around 25 countries are expected to take part.
