Story perspectives

FIFA Lifts Balogun Ban After Trump Requested Review

By Drooid · Oct 15, 2026, 2:49 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

FIFA Lifts Ban

FIFA lifted Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension, letting him play in the World Cup round of 16.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review Balogun’s ban.
Infantino denied involvement, saying the disciplinary committee decided independently.
UEFA called the suspension lift incomprehensible, saying it crossed a red line.
FIFA will present a Zurich council motion to prohibit delaying automatic one-match bans.

Summary

FIFA Sells Stake

FIFA plans to sell a minority stake in its commercial subsidiary to investors led by Joshua Kushner.
The sale values the subsidiary at $4.2 billion and offers $20 million to each federation for approval.
UEFA filed U.S. court applications to subpoena Thrive Capital and obtain evidence for a criminal probe of Infantino.
FIFA signed a $4 million, seven-year lease for office space in Trump Tower, New York.

History

Historical Context

In May 2015 U.S. prosecutors indicted 14 FIFA officials on a bribery scheme involving roughly $150 million in media-rights payments. Arrests at Zurich’s Baur au Lac hotel on 27 May and the Ethics Committee’s 21 December bans of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini marked a governance crisis. Those reforms now shape current disputes involving Gianni Infantino, Donald Trump and UEFA.

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FIFA Lifts Ban

FIFA lifted Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension, letting him play in the World Cup round of 16.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review Balogun’s ban.
Infantino denied involvement, saying the disciplinary committee decided independently.
UEFA called the suspension lift incomprehensible, saying it crossed a red line.
FIFA will present a Zurich council motion to prohibit delaying automatic one-match bans.

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