Donald Trump confam say e ask Fifa to review Balogun ban as Uefa express shock ova decision

President Donald Trump don confam say e ask Fifa to review United States striker Folarin Balogun one-match suspension for di World Cup.

Balogun, 25, bin dey expected to miss US last-16 tie against Belgium afta referee give am straight red card for foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic for di previous round.

But Fifa make di shocking decision to suspend di automatic one-match ban for 12 months.

Di United States forward, wey don score three goals for dis year World Cup bin dey selected for di game against Belgium for Seattle.

Trump say Fifa bin "make di right decision", and add say e fit leave" big stain" on di tournament if dem implement di ban.

Speaking for di White House on Monday, Trump say e bin ask Fifa to review di decision becos e "no tink say na foul".

E confam say e bin speak to Fifa president Gianni Infantino but say "all" im do na to ask for review and add say im no tell di Swiss say e gatz suspend Balogun ban.

"I tink na two great athletes wey crash into each oda and get entangled," Trump tok.

"I tink e [di suspension] fit leave big stain. I no fit tell dem wetin to do. I no believe dem make di decision; I believe say na di commission make di decision. And na di right decision."

Dis dey come as Uefa don strongly criticise Fifa ova dia shocking decision not to uphold Folarin Balogun automatic ban for dis World Cup, as dem call am "somtin we neva see bifor, we no fit understand am and e no get justification".

United States striker Balogun, wey collect red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina, suppose serve suspension for di Round of 16 match against Belgium (Tuesday 01:00 BST).

But Fifa decide not to enforce immediate punishment on di 25-year-old player, meaning say di co-hosts top scorer go fit play.

Uefa tok say di move to effectively cancel one suspension during tournament "don cross red line".

Out of di 188 oda red cards wey don happun for World Cup history, na only one oda player neva serve suspension.

Na Brazil Garrincha for 1962, bifor automatic bans start, and dat case too get plenti allegation of political interference.

Earlier, BBC News Pidgin bin report say BBC US media partner CBS News confam say Balogun reinstatement happun afta US President Donald Trump call Fifa President Gianni Infantino on Thursday to discuss di suspension.

On Sunday, President Trump tank Fifa for "reversing one great injustice".

Belgian Football Association (RBFA) tok for one statement say dem "shock" say Balogun no go serve suspension.

On Monday, Belgium Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot tok: "If na phone call really make dem take dis decision wey nobodi fit understand, e go mean clear violation of di basic rules of football and sport".

Former Fifa President Sepp Blatter, wey Infantino replace for 2016 afta corruption scandal, write for X say "football must neva bicom playground for political power".

Uefa tok say automatic one-match suspension "no be optional decision" and say "na principle wey dey inside di regulations".

"Wen pipo wey suppose protect di rules no fit guarantee certainty again, di integrity of di game dey at stake and di credibility of di competition dey damaged," Uefa tok for statement.

"At di same time, dis decision don create precedent for dis tournament, wia similar situations now go require equal treatment, to di disadvantage of di competition.

"We dey express our disbelief ova dis unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."

Glenn Micallef, European Union commissioner for sport, tok say decisions about sport "suppose belong to sporting bodis, no be politicians."

"To influence sporting decisions go undermine di autonomy of sport," e post for X. "Instead, make we focus on di real govnance challenges wey sport dey face, including how dem dey use sport for political purposes."

Uefa and Fifa don dey clash ova different decisions for recent months.

Afta Omar Artan no fit enta United States to officiate for di World Cup, Uefa invite di Somali referee make e handle di Super Cup between Paris St-Germain and Aston Villa on 12 August.

Tuchel - Wia dis go end?

England coach Thomas Tuchel say total confusion dey ova di disciplinary process for dis World Cup afta di Balogun decision.

As Jarell Quansah collect red card for England 3-2 win ova Mexico, dem ask Tuchel weda e go petition Fifa make dem cancel di defender suspension bifor Saturday quarter-final against Norway (22:00 BST).

"Wia dis one start and wia e go end now?" Tuchel ask. "We fit overturn am or no fit overturn am? Wetin dey happun?

"Na wia to draw di line be di question wey I dey ask. I no get answer.

"Make we appeal if yellow card no be yellow card? Make we say red card no be red card or who go decide? Wia dis one start and wia e go end? Na my question. I no get answer."

Both Balogun and Quansah collect red cards afta Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review.

Tuchel believe say di intervention don create uncertainty about di rules.

"I tink first of all, make I clear am, say e [Balogun] no be red card," Tuchel tok.

"But VAR enta mata and obviously three pipo for VAR plus di referee check am and conclude say na red card, so decision don happun.

"Who dey overturn dis decision, wen and based on wetin? And how far dis one go reach now? E just strange to me. We just want make decisions dey consistent.

"So, di yellow card wey Declan Rice collect afta one minute... we fit now debate am forever. I tink say no be yellow card. We go collect am back?

"France go collect back di yellow card wey Michael Olise collect wey no be yellow card? Wia dis one go end? Wia e go stop?

"I no know di rules. I be wrong pesin to ask. I go wait see wetin go happun."

Speaking during news conference on Sunday, Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia tok: "I no know say for Fifa World Cup, 5 July don turn 1 April, wey be April Fool's Day.

"We no dey defend only national team or federation, we dey defend football."

Di red card controversy now don turn legal mata, no be sporting mata again, according to Belgium football governing bodi.

Royal Belgian FA (RBFA) dey expected to release anoda statement within di next few hours.

Di Athletic report say Belgium don get right to appeal, anoda unprecedented step wia future opponent fit join disciplinary case.

Di report add say Belgian FA get until 13:00 BST to present dia case, but no timeline dey for decision, while di match go kick off 12 hours later.

If Fifa stand by dia decision, Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) don set up special division to hear quick and independent appeals against tournament decisions.

Make football no bicom playground for political power - Blatter

Blatter, togeda wit former Uefa President Michel Platini, last year bin clear corruption charges ova fraud allegations involving Fifa.

Di Swiss man don regularly criticise decisions wey Infantino administration don take.

"Red cards no dey overturned becos of political phone calls," Blatter write for X on Monday morning.

"Dem dey overturn am based on rules, evidence and independent bodis.

"If US President intervene wit Fifa president - and player suddenly get clearance bifor World Cup knockout match - di question no fit avoid: Quo vadis [wia you dey go], Fifa?

"Make Football no bicom playground for political power."

Quansah na di 13th player wey collect red card for 2026 World Cup.

Di Bayer Leverkusen defender hit Mexico Jesus Gallardo high for shin afta sliding tackle for di 54th minute.

Balogun collect red card afta im leg land for Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic ankle and cause am to bend.

Di remaining 12 players, apart from Balogun, all serve suspension for at least dia kontri next World Cup match.

Fifa activate one clause for dia disciplinary code wey allow dem to "fully or partially suspend di implementation of disciplinary measure".

Dis one contradict di tournament regulations wey tok say if player collect red card, "dem go automatically suspend am from im team next match".

Tuchel question VAR intervention on Quansah red

Reports suggest say US bin question di use of slow-motion replay during VAR review.

BBC Sport don hear say VAR follow correct protocol.

"For di game, referee no even call foul, so referee obviously believe say na hard tackle but e dey okay make play continue," Tuchel tok.

E add: "VAR come, make decision and den, as usual, I only see still image for screen. You no fit take football decision based on still image. E no possible.

"And dem do am, of course, against us, so Jarell really upset.

"E dey disappointing and na setback today bicos we play well. For me, e no reach make VAR overturn di decision, just like di penalty. But okay, na so e be."