President Donald Trump said on Monday he asked Fifa president Gianni Infantino to review what he described as the “unfair” red card given to US striker Folarin Balogun.
Fifa has waived the automatic one-match ban incurred by Balogun, making him available for the USA v Belgium world Cup match.
Speaking at the Oval Office, Mr Trump said he had watched the tackle that earned Balogun a red card and an automatic one-match suspension during last week's match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, and concluded the players had collided with one another.
“I asked for a review because I didn't think it was a foul,” Mr Trump said. “I'm good at this stuff, I didn't think it was a foul. That was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other,” he added, calling the referee's decision “horrible”.
USA play Belgium in Seattle later on Monday in the last 16 of the World Cup. Balogun, who has scored three goals in the tournament so far, is viewed as one of the team's key players.
He was sent off by Brazilian referee Raphael Claus after a video review showed the Monaco striker making heavy contact with Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemovic's ankle. A red card in the World Cup finals carries an automatic one-match suspension.
Mr Trump went on to cast aspersions about the referee, suggesting he had a chequered past. He “is a little bit suspect, if you check his past”, Mr Trump said without substantiating his claim. “I don't want to say that, because I don't like to create controversy, but very suspect.”
Mr Infantino issued a statement on X, saying he regularly discusses matters related to the World Cup with Mr Trump.
“On this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues,” the Fifa chief said.
He added that Fifa's Disciplinary Committee operates autonomously and decides “cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts”.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz created an awkward moment in the Oval Office when he thanked Mr Trump for his intervention.
“On behalf of all Americans, thank you for getting rid of that ridiculous red card … it was spectacular,” Mr Cruz said to an uncomfortable-looking Mr Trump.
On Sunday, Fifa announced Balogun's suspension would be rescinded under Article 27 of its disciplinary code, although the red card itself would remain on his record.
The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was “astonished” by the decision.
Reversals of automatic suspensions are rare and the decision has sparked a backlash.
“I think it's terrible if they wouldn't allow a top player, maybe the best, maybe among the best players on the team to play,” Mr Trump said. “I think it would have had a big stain.”
He called Fifa's reversal “a really brilliant decision”.
