FIFA Caves: Obscure Rule Saves American Star After White House Gets Involved

Liberty Check

• FIFA overturned a bogus red card suspension after President Trump personally intervened with the soccer body’s leadership
• The original call violated FIFA’s own VAR protocols — using slow-motion replay when rules explicitly forbid it for tackle decisions
• An obscure rule buried in FIFA’s code allowed officials to suspend the punishment, vindicating American complaints of unfair treatment

When U.S. men’s national team striker Folarin Balogun received a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina after a VAR review, the call was immediately controversial. The contact between Balogun and the Bosnian player was clearly incidental, with both going for the ball.

Players, coaches, and analysts all agreed the red card was harsh at best, and inaccurately given at worst.

Team USA head coach Mauricio Pochettino called it unjust. Midfielder Weston McKennie echoed the sentiment.

“Obviously the referee made a decision that he made, but I think it’s questionable. I think there’s been many other plays like that throughout the tournament on other players that a card wasn’t given at all. It’s disappointing.”

A former top-level referee even wrote that the entire process violated FIFA’s own rules.

“VAR made their recommendation to the referee based on slow-motion and still replays, which is not aligned with VAR protocols, as these should be used for only point-of-contact purposes in a red card tackle situation.”

That came from Andy Davies, a referee who worked in the Premier League and Championship for over 12 seasons. On Sunday, FIFA apparently agreed with the critics.

News broke that FIFA had overturned Balogun’s red card suspension, allowing him to play against Belgium in Seattle on Monday night. The stunning reversal came despite there being no normal appeals process available to the USMNT or U.S. Soccer.

So how did this happen?

An arcane rule, known as Article 27, the “Suspension of Implementation of Disciplinary Measures,” allowed FIFA to review the automatic red card suspension and essentially delay it for a year.

“By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one [1] year.”

Article 27 states that “the judicial body may decide to fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure” and subjects the player to a probationary period of one to four years.

Should Balogun receive another red card, the suspension would be revoked and enforced “without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”

Sources reveal that President Donald Trump personally called FIFA leadership to review the controversial card. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik and White House task force leader Andrew Giuliani assembled a team of lawyers outside the White House to challenge the improper use of slow-motion replay in the decision.

The legal team pointed to FIFA’s own protocols that explicitly prohibit using slow-motion for tackle decisions — exactly what the VAR referee did. While European fans and the Belgian soccer federation fumed over the overturn, FIFA has used this same protocol before.

Cristiano Ronaldo received a red card against Ireland in a World Cup qualifier in 2025, leading to a three-game suspension. But FIFA used Article 27 to delay his punishment for up to a year, allowing him to sit out one pre-tournament match and defer the final two until after the World Cup.

The wrong has been righted. Balogun will suit up Monday night against Belgium, making Team USA that much more dangerous in front of a home crowd.

Americans deserve better.