Balogun: Red cards should not be overturned by phone calls, Blatter tells FIFA

Former FIFA President Joseph Sepp Blatter on Monday questioned the independence of world football’s governing body following the controversy surrounding the overturning of United States forward Folarin Balogun’s red card, warning that football “must never become a playground for political power.”

Blatter’s comments come days after United States President Donald Trump publicly thanked FIFA President Gianni Infantino following the decision that made Balogun eligible for the Americans’ FIFA World Cup knockout clash.

Trump’s remarks ignited widespread debate across the football community, with critics questioning whether politics had influenced a disciplinary process that FIFA insists is handled by its independent judicial bodies.

Reacting in a post on X, Blatter wrote, “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match — the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA? Football must never become a playground for political power. #FIFA #WorldCup #GianniInfantino #DonaldTrump.”

The controversy stems from Balogun’s dismissal during a World Cup group-stage match after he was shown a straight red card for a challenge that initially attracted little debate but later became the subject of an appeal.

Under FIFA’s disciplinary framework, red cards can be reviewed by the organisation’s independent judicial bodies, which may rescind or reduce sanctions where evidence shows a clear error or exceptional circumstances exist. Following such a review, Balogun’s suspension was lifted, allowing him to feature in the United States’ Round of 16 encounter.

Shortly after the decision, Trump publicly thanked Infantino, saying the FIFA president had helped ensure the striker was available for the crucial fixture.

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While Trump did not explain the nature of Infantino’s involvement, his remarks fuelled speculation over whether political influence had intersected with FIFA’s disciplinary process.

Although FIFA has consistently maintained that sporting sanctions are determined exclusively by its judicial committees and not by the FIFA President or the organisation’s political leadership, Blatter said the sequence of events had created a damaging perception for world football.

The 89-year-old Swiss, who led FIFA from 1998 until 2015 before leaving office amid corruption investigations that engulfed the organisation, argued that the credibility of football depends not only on fair decisions but also on public confidence that those decisions are made independently and without external interference.

His intervention is the latest in a growing debate over the relationship between politics and football governance, particularly as FIFA has worked closely with governments to stage major tournaments and expand the commercial reach of the World Cup.

The Balogun controversy has also revived discussions about transparency in FIFA’s disciplinary procedures, with football stakeholders calling for greater clarity whenever high-profile appeals are decided during major competitions.

Neither FIFA nor Infantino had publicly responded to Blatter’s comments as of the time of filing this report.