One of the largest controversies of the 2026 World Cup—and in the entire history of the competition—surrounds what occurred with Folarin Balogun. FIFA intervened to overturn a red card he had received, clearing him to play for the USA against Belgium in the Round of 16 following an alleged intervention by Donald Trump. The decision drew widespread criticism, and now the Norwegian Soccer Federation could lodge a complaint with FIFA regarding the case.
According to Sky Sports News, the Norwegian Soccer Federation will file a complaint with the FIFA Ethics Committee regarding the rescinding of the suspension for USA forward Folarin Balogun following the intervention by Donald Trump.
In an interview with The Times, Norwegian Soccer Federation president Lise Klaveness spoke out on the issue. “When a rule like this is bypassed, you enter a slippery slope that will jeopardize all of soccer,” Klaveness emphasized. “Questioning its fundamental rules constitutes a threat to this sport.”
The Federation President strongly opposed what happened
The decision ultimately had a significant impact on the USA, as stated by Balogun himself. The forward did not put together a strong performance and apologized to fans after the team was eliminated—an incident that will go down in history. However, Klaveness maintains that this scenario should never have taken place.
Folarin Balogun #20 of the United States celebrates scoring his team’s first goal.
“First of all, this should never have happened. Now it is essential to have honest communication about it,” Klaveness continued. “We all know that this verdict was influenced by external forces and that it did not follow the proper procedure.” She added: “We need FIFA leadership to acknowledge that this is a mistake.”
The head of the Norwegian Soccer Federation was previously the sole official to formally protest against the “Peace Award” granted by FIFA president Gianni Infantino to the U.S. president last December.
The Norwegian soccer executive also told The Times that she was “disappointed, but not necessarily surprised” by FIFA’s lack of transparency in the matter and by the fact that the governing body has not published the full ruling explaining its decision. Despite Balogun’s participation, Belgium ultimately won 4-1 against the USA, eliminating the co-hosts.
