AFTER ending co-hosts America’s World Cup run in the last-16 stage, Belgium felt justice had been served. It was not only the Belgians who were celebrating after their 4-1 romp. Indeed, the rest of the football world, too, felt vindicated by America’s humiliation. “Overturn this,” said the Belgian football team on social media after their victory — a jibe directed at FIFA and US President Donald Trump, who had intervened to ensure his country’s striker Folarin Balogun was allowed to play in the game despite having been shown a red card in the previous match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mr Trump had lobbied for Balogun’s red card to be overturned, asking FIFA president Gianni Infantino — who was already under fire for his close association with the American president — to review the decision. FIFA eventually suspended the match ban — marking the first time since 1962 that punishment for a World Cup offence was put on hold during the tournament.

Mr Infantino’s position that Balogun’s suspension was the decision of an independent FIFA disciplinary committee did little to deflect the impression that the Americans were deliberately bending the rules. The European football governing body UEFA called the decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable”. The Swiss Football Association questioned the credibility of the World Cup. While the Royal Belgian Football Association filed an appeal against FIFA’s decision to allow Balogun to play in the last-16 tie, the football body dismissed it on the grounds that since Belgium was not a party to the proceedings, it had no legal standing to take this action. On the field, Belgium’s celebrations mocked Mr Trump, with Romelu Lukaku joining his team-mates in the famous ‘Trump Dance’ after scoring their fourth goal in Seattle. Belgian fans chanted “FIFA mafia” during the game. Despite America’s exit, the furore over Mr Trump’s meddling refuses to die down. The incident has called into question FIFA’s neutrality. Mr Infantino must ensure that politics is not allowed to dictate decisions on the field.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2026