Balogun ban lift sparks chaos in USA camp amid Trump intervention claims

Folarin Balogun’s suspended World Cup ban was confirmed to USA squad members through social media rather than official channels, according to the Daily Mail, which detailed a chaotic Sunday morning inside Mauricio Pochettino’s camp in Seattle.

The striker had been handed a one-match suspension following a red card shown during the group stage clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina. That ruling appeared to rule him out of Monday’s last-16 tie against Belgium, before reports emerged on Sunday that FIFA had suspended the ban, effectively clearing Balogun to feature.

Confusion on the team bus

The Daily Mail reports that USA players were unaware of the development as their bus travelled towards the University of Washington, where Pochettino’s squad has been based for training. Some were listening to music, others playing mobile games, while Balogun himself was said to still be enjoying the squad’s post-July 4 celebrations.

Word of the ban being lifted began circulating among players before official confirmation arrived, with phones buzzing as friends and family sent messages about the story breaking online. Defender Chris Richards described the confusion that spread through the group, telling the Daily Mail: “One person said something, another person said another thing.”

Richards said he chose not to respond to messages straight away, uncertain whether the reports circulating on social media were genuine or simply unverified speculation, according to the Daily Mail.

Trump’s intervention and rival anger

The Daily Mail reports that FIFA’s decision followed a phone call from US President Donald Trump, in which he asked for the suspension on Balogun to be lifted. The outlet describes the move as an “extraordinary” intervention that has “sent shockwaves through the sport”.

The episode has drawn criticism from rival nations and commentators over the fairness of the process. Daily Mail columnist Ian Herbert argued the affair has left the USA’s World Cup run “tainted”, describing the situation as “one rule for them and another for everyone else”.

Balogun available for Belgium

With the suspension now lifted, Balogun is set to be available for Pochettino’s side as they take on Belgium in Monday’s last-16 fixture. The USA squad had been preparing for the match without knowing until the eleventh hour whether their forward would be permitted to play.

Read more: Balogun cleared for USA’s last-16 tie as Fifa suspends red card ban