Trump on FIFA revoking American soccer player’s red card suspension
President Donald Trump recounts his direct involvement in urging FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review a controversial red card issued to an American player. Trump criticizes the referee’s “horrible” decision and considers it unfair to send off a prominent player for a collision. He celebrates FIFA’s “brilliant decision” to reverse the ban, ensuring the best players compete in the blockbuster World Cup.
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White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced Thursday that President Donald Trump will attend the FIFA World Cup final on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino first said last month on “Fox & Friends” that Trump would attend the contest, but now it’s official.
Leavitt said Trump’s attendance will be “a fitting conclusion to a tournament that showcased America’s ability to host the world on the grandest stage.”
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino shakes hands with US President Donald Trump as he receives the FIFA Peace Prize during the official draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Héctor Vivas – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Infantino said he and Trump will present the FIFA World Cup trophy to the captain of the winning team on the field.
“We will be with the president enjoying the final and handing the trophy to the winner, of course, together,” Infantino said.
Trump and Infantino did the same last year in the FIFA Club World Cup final, also at the New Jersey stadium, when Chelsea defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0. The appearance came a year after the attempted assassination of President Trump in Pennsylvania.
The president participated in the trophy presentation and presented prizes to the players and referees after Chelsea’s victory. Trump remained on stage during the celebration, causing some confusion.
“I knew he was going to be here, but I didn’t know he would be in the stands when we lifted the trophy, so I was a bit confused,” Chelsea’s Cole Palmer said after the match.
Trump found himself involved in one of the biggest controversies of the World Cup, calling Infantino and requesting a review of Folarin Balogun’s red card. Balogun was immediately suspended for Team USA’s round of 16 match, but was later declared eligible for the game.
President Donald Trump, Claudia Sheinbaum, President of Mexico, and Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, pose for a selfie with Gianni Infantino, President of FIFA, during the official draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2025. (Héctor Vivas/FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
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“All I did was ask for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said. “And again, I’m good at this stuff. I didn’t think it was a foul. I thought it was two great athletes who ran into each other and got tangled up. That wasn’t a guy punching someone in the face or anything, that would be different.
“I think it’s terrible… if they hadn’t allowed a top player to play, maybe the best, maybe one of the best on the team, I think it would have been a big stain. I passed it on. I didn’t tell him what to do. I don’t think he made the decision. I think it was a committee that made the decision, and they made the right decision because, number one, it wasn’t a foul, and you want to see a game with your best players.”
Balogun admitted to CBS that he “could almost see my teammates getting a little nervous” as the controversy grew.
Trump has yet to attend a World Cup game, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio was seen at the United States Men’s National Team’s first game against Paraguay, a 4-1 victory, on June 12.
The president received the first FIFA Peace Prize at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, during the final draw for the World Cup in December.
US President Donald Trump receives the FIFA Peace Prize from FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the official draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on December 5, 2025 in Washington, DC (Jia Haocheng – Pool/Getty Images)
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Trump recently attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, while the White House hosted UFC Freedom 250 last month. An IndyCar race will be held next month in Washington, DC.
