Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has called for players and reporters at the World Cup to speak out about the killing of children in Gaza and Palestine. Hassan made the comments after his team’s controversial 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the last 16.
Published On 8 Jul 20268 Jul 2026
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Al Jazeera spoke with Egypt fans at the Obour City Youth Center, where an estimated 15,000 members gathered to watch the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match against Argentina. Supporters shared their heartbreak after the emotional exit while praising the team’s unforgettable tournament run.
Published On 8 Jul 20268 Jul 2026
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An Argentina fan waves the Israeli flag during his team’s Round of 16 match against Egypt. Some viewed it as a provocation towards Egypt’s coach, Hossam Hassan, who dedicated Egypt’s first-ever World Cup knockout victory to the people of Gaza.
Published On 8 Jul 20268 Jul 2026
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The clamour surrounding the World Cup’s controversy involving US President Donald Trump and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino had barely died down when another arose in the aftermath of Argentina’s controversial 3-2 win over Egypt in the round-of-16 match in Atlanta.
As the defending champions staged a stunning comeback against the Pharaohs in the knockout match on Tuesday, questions were raised about an unusually late VAR call that saw Egypt’s second goal rescinded, followed by a chain of events that led to Argentina’s victory.
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A day earlier, Trump had revealed that he had asked FIFA to review, and overturn, USA striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension for a red card, and the governing body controversially obliged. The matter was dusted off by Belgium as they dumped the hosts out of the tournament with a 4-1 win in the match Balogun was initially suspended from but ended up playing – to no avail.
While the anger surrounding FIFA’s red-card decision was directed at both the football governing body and Trump, Egypt’s outburst was solely aimed at the organisation, which, according to Egypt’s manager, had “wanted to keep the world champions in the competition”.
Head coach Hossam Hassan speculated that match officials had been put under pressure to ensure that one of the biggest names, Argentina’s Lionel Messi, stayed in the tournament.
“Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,” Hassan told beIN Sports after the match.
“In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champions received support at every level.”
While the tournament has been no stranger to the political spotlight of questionable integrity, experts say the lines between sport and politics have been blurred even further.
“After the Balogun affair, who knows which decisions are legitimate and can be trusted, and which can’t?” Simon Chadwick, professor of Afro-Eurasian sport at the Emlyon Business School in Shanghai, told Al Jazeera.
“If the Trump administration is maintaining a watching brief over the tournament, it’s worth remembering: Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, is a staunch Trump supporter.”
Trump and his Argentinian counterpart share a close relationship. Milei is a regular feature at pro-Trump political gatherings in the United States, and Trump has described Argentina’s far-right populist leader as his “favourite president”.
Chadwick also opined that Hassan’s vociferous support for Palestine at the World Cup could have prompted some officials to “have built-in biases when making decisions”.
Hassan dedicated part of his pre-match news conference on Monday to making an impassioned plea for the people of Palestine, especially those in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Circling back to the VAR call that sliced Egypt’s lead in half and was followed by decisions that conveniently favoured Argentina, Chadwick said the period of play was “unusual”.
He wondered why the referee had not called a foul in real-time that VAR picked up several moments later and only once Egypt scored their second goal.
“There was something distinctly unusual about the goal and VAR decision, something that was amplified when Argentina scored one of its goals,” Chadwick said, questioning refereeing standards in the match.
“In the build-up, an infringement was perpetrated by an Argentina player, which could have been interpreted as a similar offence to that supposedly committed earlier by the Egyptian player. At the very least, refereeing standards during the game were somewhat inconsistent, although critics are clearly making much more serious claims.”
But while many social media commentators and football experts were outraged at the decisions – Portuguese football icon Jose Mourinho reportedly termed the match “daylight robbery” – some football experts said it was a closer call.
“Robbed might be a strong word,” football analyst Ali El Garni said.
“I’d say decisions made by both the referee and VAR could have gone either way, and Argentina benefitted from all the 50/50 incidents.
“The incident leading to the Egyptian disallowed goal was an indisputable foul. The question is how far VAR should go back to check the legitimacy of a goal,” said El Garni, who has extensively reported on European and North African football.
However, he did wonder if VAR would have been involved had the scoreline been 2-0 in Argentina’s favour instead.
“Would the goal have been disallowed had it been scored by Argentina? It’s unlikely,” he said.
“What’s making it worse for Egypt is the fact that a similar incident involving what appeared to be a foul on [Mohamed] Salah took place before Argentina’s third goal, and VAR didn’t intervene,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chadwick questioned why VAR officials had raised the issue if the on-field officials did not call a foul when Egypt‘s Marwan Attia lightly tugged the shirt and stepped on the foot of Lisandro Martinez.
A logical solution to the VAR issue, Chadwick proposed, would be “for fans and viewers to listen to an assessment of the alleged offence, hear the various arguments, and have a clear insight into the basis for a decision”.
Chadwick admitted that although Egyptian players should not have become overwhelmed with emotion, “a sense of injustice was induced by the VAR decision”.
“This technology was supposed to minimise doubt and bring consistency. Instead, its use during this match had significant cognitive and behavioural effects,” he said.
“Indeed, rather than brandishing cards and inflaming the situation even further, the referee should have used his discretion and judgement to defuse the situation.”
While Chadwick dismissed rumours of match-rigging in favour of Messi and Argentina, he acknowledged the pull of the iconic footballer’s star power.
“There is no doubt that Messi is a box office attraction the tournament really can’t afford to be without.”
‘Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition,’ Hassan said after his team was knocked out.
Published On 7 Jul 20267 Jul 2026
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan claims his side was “cheated” out of a place in the World Cup quarterfinals after Argentina staged a stunning late comeback from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in a gripping last-16 match in Atlanta.
The Pharaohs started as underdogs but took the lead against the world champions within 15 minutes, which was doubled in the second half before Argentina walked away with the win on Tuesday.
“I do not want to put it nicely and talk about hard luck. We have been cheated unfairly today; we have suffered injustice,” Hassan said in an explosive post-match news conference.
Egypt had a Mostafa Zico goal ruled out when they were leading 1-0 as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened to spot a foul on Lisandro Martinez much earlier in the move.
Zico did then put Egypt on the brink of a place in the last eight for the first time by doubling their lead.
However, the defending champions hit back as Cristian Romero reduced the arrears before Lionel Messi, who had a first-half penalty saved, smashed in the equaliser with his eighth goal of the tournament.
The controversy did not end there, though, as in the buildup to Argentina’s winner scored by Enzo Fernandez, Egypt believe they should have instead been awarded a penalty for a pull by Alexis Mac Allister on Hamdy Fathy.
“We haven’t seen respect or fair play. There has not been respect or fair play,” Hassan said.
“A penalty was ruled out, was not even checked by VAR. A second goal was remarkably disallowed. There has not even been a VAR check when we have all seen the image of the [shirt] being pulled back.”
Hassan said he would not watch any more matches of the tournament, such was the injustice he felt.
“I am not going to continue following the matches of this World Cup,” he added.
“This is my own way of speaking up.”
After Yasser Ibrahim’s header put Egypt in front, Argentina were awarded a penalty for a trip on Nicolas Tagliafico.
Messi’s problems with World Cup penalties continued as his effort was saved by Mostafa Shobeir.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has now failed to score four of his eight non-shootout spot-kicks at the World Cup, including two misses at this tournament.
Hassan speculated that the officials had been put under pressure to keep one of the biggest names in the competition.
“Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,” he told BeIN Sports.
“In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champions received support at every level.”
Egypt had been surprisingly attacking early on in the game, a departure from Hassan’s usual tactic of playing with a tight defence and looking for counterattack opportunities.
It helped them take an early lead, but it was the heroics of goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir that ensured they remained in front by half-time.
“I’m very, very satisfied with the effort they put in. Most of our players come from the Egyptian domestic league, while many players in other national teams are based in Europe and live in that professional environment,” Hassan added.
“Yet with predominantly local players – besides Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush – we were able to compete with anyone.”
Hassan also complained about the scheduling of the match for a noon kick-off (16:00 GMT), just four days after both sides had won their round of 32 matches.
“Whoever schedules those matches has never played football. You never schedule a game for 12pm. At noon you go for a walk or to eat brunch; you do not go to play football.
“When are the players supposed to eat? At 7:30am?
“There have been a lot of things to be questioned on and off the pitch.”
With 12 minutes of normal time remaining Egypt stood on the cusp of their greatest ever World Cup result.
The Pharaohs led Argentina, the reigning world champions, 2-0 in Atlanta Stadium.
A quarter-final spot – their first – beckoned for the football-mad African country.
Then it went wrong. Horribly wrong.
When Cristian Romero reduced the deficit in the 79th minute, it was a case of Egypt digging in. But they looked panic-stricken when captain Lionel Messi – who else? – made it 2-2 four minutes later.
Enzo Fernandez then completed a remarkable turnaround with a header in the second minute of stoppage-time.
Egypt were down and out – and downright furious after the video assistant referee (VAR) ruled out a second goal by Mostafa Zico for a foul after midfielder Marwan Attia was penalised for slightly stepping on Lisandro Martinez at the start of the move, when they were leading 1-0.
They were also adamant Mohamed Salah was fouled in Argentina’s penalty area, seconds before the reigning champions broke for the winner.
“There is so much inconsistency at the moment with VAR and decisions and how far you go back to pull a decision,” Egyptian football expert Ahmad Yousef told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“There was such a long distance that had gone by and the foul was so minimal so I completely understand why the Egyptian coaching staff and squad are so disappointed.”
When French referee Francois Letexier signalled full-time, many of Egypt’s players slumped to the floor in disbelief at what had just happened.
Salah swapped shirts with his former Liverpool team-mate Alexis MacAllister before walking off the pitch with his head bowed, while other players stood shaking their heads.
“There were so many subplots and stories to this game,” said former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who was in the ground working for BBC Radio 5 Live.
This match had everything – a penalty save, a disallowed goal, a red card as well as a thrilling comeback.
BBC Sport unpicks a game that will go down in World Cup history for featuring a team who were two goals down so late on, but who went on to win without needing extra time.
Would Messi have been lost to the World Cup forever had Argentina lost?
He would be 43 – the oldest outfield player to play at a World Cup – if he carried on to the next, though the lure of games being played in his home country may have sustained him.
Instead, Messi can look forward to a quarter-final here against either Switzerland or Colombia.
Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, watching in Atlanta for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “That was incredible. Spectacular. Argentina were down and out. They were out of the tournament at one point.
“Egypt are so frustrated with the refereeing decisions that have gone against them. They had a second goal disallowed before they got their second goal for an infringement that was almost on their own touchline.
“Then Lionel Messi just stepped in and took over. Beautiful assist, great finish for his goal, and then the substitutions worked for Argentina.”
Argentina’s recovery, and this was not simply the Messi show it should be said, also had implications for England who, when Egypt led, might just have believed it was a ‘now or never’ moment for reaching their first men’s World Cup final since 1966.
England’s path to the final was shaping up as Norway in the quarter-finals, then Egypt, Switzerland or Colombia in the last four if they got through.
Instead, there remains the shadow of Messi and Argentina as the potential obstacle should they overcome the dangerous Norwegians.
And Messi, even in advancing years, casts a giant shadow over any opponents, as Egypt found to their cost.
Messi became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout-phase games and now has eight goals in this one. It is the most by a player in the opening five games since West Germany’s Gerd Muller scored 10 in Mexico in 1970.
He has also contributed to 16 goals in his past nine World Cup games, with 13 goals and three assists.
England’s concern will be he still has the power to add more. And looks in the mood to do so.
The 2026 World Cup has a prize pool of $871 million, the biggest in football history. How much is every country getting and where does the money come from? Al Jazeera’s Yasmeen ElTahan explains.
Published On 7 Jul 20267 Jul 2026
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Live coverage and text updates as Argentina play Egypt in the round of 16 knockout stage.
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From Kevin Baxter: For three weeks, it was the best World Cup ever for the U.S.
The Americans scored more goals, won more games and generated more interest than any U.S. team in history. But all that glory gave way to grief Monday when a 4-1 loss to Belgium brought the U.S. crashing back to Earth.
Belgium never trailed, getting two first-half goals from Charles De Ketelaere and two in the second half from Hans Vanaken and Romelu Lukaku to clinch a spot in the tournament quarterfinals, where it will face Spain on Friday at SoFi Stadium. For the U.S., whose lone goal came from Malik Tillman, its World Cup ended in the round of 16 for a fourth straight time.
“Today,” midfielder Tyler Adams said, “wasn’t a good day.”
The U.S. did win a knockout round game in the tournament for just the second time, but that came in a round of 32 necessitated by the World Cup’s expansion to 48 teams. All three tournament hosts, the U.S., Canada and Mexico, were eliminated in the round of 16.
“You get knocked out of a tournament, it doesn’t feel great,” Adams continued. “You start to think about what you could have done better. The best players in the world go through it. You put yourself in those situations to try to break through at this moment.
“It sucks.”
Kylian Mbappé calls out Paraguayan senator for ‘brazen racism’ after France’s World Cup knockout win
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Round of 16
Spain 1, Portugal 0
Belgium 4, U.S. 1
All times Pacific
9 a.m., Argentina vs. Egypt, Fox, Telemundo
1 p.m., Switzerland vs. Colombia, Fox, Telemundo
Round of 16 results
Morocco 3, Canada 0
France 1, Paraguay 0
Norway 2, Brazil 1
England 3, Mexico 2
Spain 1, Portugal 0
Belgium 4, U.S. 1
All times Pacific
All games on Fox and Telemundo
Tuesday
Argentina vs. Egypt, 9 a.m.
Switzerland vs. Colombia, 1 p.m.
All times Pacific
All games on Fox and Telemundo
Thursday
France vs. Morocco, 1 p.m.
Friday
Belgium vs. Spain, noon
Saturday
Norway vs. England, 2 p.m.
Switzerland or Colombia vs. Argentina or Egypt, 6 p.m.
From Maddie Lee: Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing spun to face home plate umpire Dan Iassogna, holding up his mitt with the ball secure inside.
When that didn’t change the safe call, he immediately pointed to the Dodgers dugout, mask in hand urging manager Dave Roberts to challenge the call.
Roberts’ hands flew up to his ears, asking for a replay review.
The tension in Dodger Stadium broke with the announcement: “The catcher touched the runner’s hand before he reached the plate…”
The crowd’s applause drowned out the rest.
The go-ahead run had been on the line with that ninth-inning review, in the Dodgers’ eventual 8-7 win against the Rockies in 11 innings. And the sequence started a wild end to the Dodgers’ first extra-innings game of the season.
From Bill Shaikin: In 2012, when Mark Walter and his partners bought the Dodgers, team president Stan Kasten declared mediocrity would no longer be acceptable.
Would the Dodgers improve their minor league system? Yes. Would the Dodgers improve their major league roster? Also yes. Would spending in one area preclude spending in another? Absolutely not.
“These fans expect and deserve a team that can win,” Kasten said then.
So do Angels fans. For the first time this decade, with the arrival of John Mozeliak as interim general manager, they have legitimate hope.
Mozeliak, whose St. Louis Cardinals teams reached the playoffs more often than not in his 18 years running baseball operations there, is here to end baseball’s longest postseason drought, or at least steer the Angels in that direction.
From Broderick Turner: Rui Hachimura became the latest Lakers player to move on, agreeing to a two-year, $28-million deal with the Clippers on Monday, people familiar with the deal but not authorized to speak publicly on the matter confirmed to The Times.
Hachimura played at a high level for the Lakers in the playoffs, averaging 17.5 points per game in 10 postseason games, the third-highest average on the team.
He was a lights-out shooter, making 54.9% of his field goals and a sizzling 56.9% of his three-pointers, which ranked him fifth in three-point shooting during the NBA playoffs.
Adou Thiero sidelined by wrist injury before Lakers win summer league game with Spurs
From Liana Handler: Forty-nine seconds. That’s all it took for the Seattle Storm’s Flau’jae Johnson to fire off a 27-foot three-point jumper to take the lead. In less than a minute, she sank the Sparks’ hopes of beating one of the worst teams in the WNBA, leaving 39 more minutes for the Sparks to consider just how the team got there.
Johnson, already the main act in Seattle, bolstered her WNBA Rookie of the Year case by scoring 23 points as the Storm defeated the Sparks 82-64 Monday night at Crypto.com Arena.
Each time the Storm drove down the court, there was Johnson, her ponytail fluttering as she skirted around the arc before driving into the paint, nonchalantly tossing up layups as if it was still shootaround. Not even the relentless defense chants summoned from the Sparks’ MCs stopped her.
1911 — Dorothea Lambert Chambers sets the record for the shortest championship match at Wimbledon — 25 minutes — by disposing of Dora Boothby 6-0, 6-0 in the women’s finals.
1912 — American athlete Jim Thorpe wins 4 of 5 events to win the Pentathlon gold medal at the Stockholm Olympics, medal stripped 1913 (played pro baseball), reinstated 1982.
1934 — Elizabeth Ryan teams with Simone Mathiau and wins her record 12th women’s doubles title at Wimbledon, defeating Dorothy Andrus and Sylvia Henrotin 6-3, 6-3.
1953 — Walter Burkemo beats Felice Torza to win the PGA Championship at Birmingham (Mich.) Country Club.
1973 — In the first all-U.S. women’s Wimbledon final, Billie Jean King beats Chris Evert, 6-0, 7-5.
1974 — In Munich, West Germany beats the Netherlands 2-1 to win soccer’s World Cup.
1978 — NBA approves franchise swap; Buffalo Braves owner John Y. Brown and Harry Mangurian acquire Boston Celtics, while the Celtics owner Irv Levin gets Braves, later moved to San Diego to become the Clippers.
1980 — Larry Holmes retains his WBC heavyweight title with a seventh-round TKO of Scott LeDoux in Bloomington, Minn.
1982 — Steve Scott of the Sub 4 Club sets a United States record in the mile with a time of 3:47.69 in a track meet at Oslo, Norway.
1985 — West Germany’s Boris Becker, 17, becomes the youngest champion and first unseeded player in the history of the men’s singles at Wimbledon with a 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over Kevin Curren.
1986 — American athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee sets world heptathlon record of 7,148 points in the inaugural Goodwill Games at Moscow.
1990 — Martina Navratilova wins her ninth Wimbledon women’s singles championship, beating Zina Garrison 6-4, 6-1, to break the record she shared with Helen Wills Moody.
1991 — Steffi Graf beats Gabriela Sabatini 6-4, 3-6, 8-6 to capture her third Wimbledon women’s title.
1992 — South Africa beats Cameroon 1-0 in Durban in first FIFA sanctioned match after nearly 20 years international isolation, apartheid.
1993 — Tom Burgess tosses three touchdown passes, and Wayne Walker scores twice as Ottawa spoils the debut of the CFL’s first American-based team by beating Sacramento 32-23.
2002 — Juli Inkster matches the lowest final-round score by an Open champion with a 4-under 66 for a two-stroke victory over Annika Sorenstam in the U.S. Women’s Open. It’s her seventh major.
2007 — Venus Williams claims her fourth Wimbledon title with a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Marion Bartoli.
2007 — Wladimir Klitschko beats Raymond Brewster with a technical knockout after six rounds, to successfully defend his IBF and IBO heavyweight titles in Cologne, Germany.
2012 — Serena Williams dominates from start to finish, beating Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to win a fifth championship at the All England Club and 14th major title overall.
2013 — Andy Murray becomes the first British man in 77 years to win the Wimbledon title, beating Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in the final. The last British man to win the Wimbledon title before was Fred Perry in 1936.
2018 — Kristi Toliver scores 18 points to help the Washington Mystics beat the Sparks 83-74 for coach Mike Thibault’s 300th career regular-season win. Thibault becomes the first WNBA coach to reach that milestone.
2019 — U.S. Women’s National Team win their record 4th FIFA Women’s World Cup title with a 2-0 win over the Netherlands.
2021 — The Tampa Bay Lightning defeat the Montreal Canadiens 1-0 in game five of the Stanley Cup Finals to win their second consecutive Stanley Cup and third overall. Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy is named Finals MVP.
Compiled by the Associated Press
1923 — Lefty O’Doul, pitching for the Boston Red Sox, gave up 13 runs in the sixth inning to the Cleveland Indians, who won 27-3. In 1928, he was to return to the majors as a great hitting outfielder.
1936 — The NL won its first All-Star game 4-3 at Braves Field in Boston.
1937 — Lou Gehrig drove in four runs with a home run and a double to pace the AL to an 8-3 victory over the NL in the All-Star game at Washington’s Griffith Stadium. In attendance was President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
1959 — At Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, the first of two All-Star games played that season went to the NL, 5-4. The NL scored the tying and winning runs in the bottom of the eighth when Hank Aaron singled in a run and scored on a triple by Willie Mays.
1964 — The NL beat the AL 7-4 in the All-Star game on Johnny Callison’s two-out, three-run homer off Dick Radatz in the bottom of the ninth inning at New York’s Shea Stadium. The win pulled the NL even with its rivals (17-17-1) for the first time since the series began.
1998 — Coors Field lived up to its billing as a hitter’s haven as the American League beat the Nationals 13-8 at Coors Field in the highest-scoring All-Star game in major league history. The 21 runs broke the record set in the AL’s 11-9 win in 1954.
2006 — Cleveland Indians designated hitter Travis Hafner became the first player in major league history to hit five grand slams before the All-Star break when he connected in the second inning of a 9-0 win over Baltimore.
2009 — Alan Embree earned the win in Colorado’s 5-4 victory over Washington without throwing a pitch. He entered with two out in the eighth and picked off Austin Kearns, who had singled off Joel Peralta. It was the first time a major leaguer had gotten a win without throwing a pitch since B.J Ryan for Baltimore at Detroit on May 1, 2003.
2011 — Dustin Pedroia hit a three-run shot and Boston added three consecutive home runs in the seventh in a 10-4 win over Baltimore. Six Boston players homered, including the three straight by David Ortiz, Josh Reddick and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
2011 — A Texas Rangers fan died after falling about 20 feet onto concrete reaching out for a baseball tossed his way by All-Star outfielder Josh Hamilton during a game. Shannon Stone, 39, was at the game with his young son, who watched as his dad tumbled over the outfield railing after catching the ball. The accident happened in the second inning after Oakland’s Conor Jackson hit a foul ball. Hamilton retrieved the ball and tossed it into the stands as players routinely do.
2016 — Colorado’s Trevor Story tied an NL rookie record for most home runs before the All-Star break, homering twice and boosting his total to 21 as the Rockies beat Philadelphia 11-2.
2018 — Mark Reynolds homered twice and drove in a career-high 10 runs and the Washington Nationals beat the Miami Marlins 18-4. Reynolds (5 for 5) tied his career high for hits and equaled the Nationals’ RBI record.
2021 — In what has clearly been the “Year of the No-Hitter,″ five Rays pitchers combine to pitch one against the Indians in the second game of a doubleheader that goes seven innings.
Compiled by the Associated Press
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
SEATTLE — Is everybody happy now? You good, Mr. President?
Put our boys in a blender, President Trump did, with those phone calls to FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Messed with their mojo by politicking to get American striker Folarin Balogun’s red card rescinded.
We’ll have to check VAR, but it might be the first time Trump succeeded at having a decision overturned.
Probably because this time what he sought to overturn — discipline stemming from Balogun’s accidental contact in the United States’ victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina — actually was unjust. Balogun should not have received a red card.
The problem is, having our President butt in here was a joke. Unfunny and out of bounds, offsides, an own goal — all of the things.
It put the U.S. team at the center of a geopolitical maelstrom, which is exactly what they did not need in the hours before the biggest match of their lives and the biggest match in the history of the U.S. men’s soccer program.
Some 40 or 50 million viewers were expected to tune in; how many of them watched for the first time? And what sort of impression did Monday’s 4-1 blunder-filled meltdown against Belgium make? That we stink at soccer — still?
If you were one of them, please, believe your soccer-fan friends when they tell you the Americans played much better in previous matches.
But so much for a magical run. On their home turf, the Americans pulled up lame before the finish line (aka, for the U.S. team’s purposes, its first quarterfinals since 2002).
To their credit, after the debacle, members of the U.S. team didn’t complain about anything being rigged. They didn’t use the distraction as an excuse. And they didn’t point fingers at anyone — anyone at all.
U.S. striker Folarin Balogun (20) walks to the locker room at halftime against Belgium in the World Cup on Monday at Lumen Field in Seattle.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
“We’re playing on home soil,” defender Chris Richards said. “So the only pressure we put on ourselves is to perform for our country, and ultimately didn’t feel the way we wanted to today. But I don’t think the antics of the last 24 hours had anything to do with it.”
No, they said the “debate,” or “outside noise” or “political manipulation” — as Tim Ream, Alex Freeman and coach Mauricio Pochettino described what others are calling “Balogate” — were not to blame for the gut-punch that answered the question: Why not us?
Because the U.S. is not yet good enough to beat the world’s great teams. Especially not when their pregame preparation includes having to try to block out an international uproar.
To have any hope against the Belgians in the round of 16 — a matchup between FIFA’s Nos. 9- and 17-ranked sides — the Americans needed to be going full-tilt, to be focused and ferocious and probably also a little bit lucky.
Instead, they looked shook, rattled. And they got rolled.
They were the worst version of themselves at the worst time, which was so weird from a team that had been on its front foot from the first whistle against Paraguay.
Not Monday. Against Belgium, they were on their heels from the outset. Heavy touches, slow afoot, playing like they had the weight of the World Cup on their shoulders.
And all that White House maddening meddling — for what?
Balogun started and played most of the match, but it could just as well have been reserve striker Ricardo Pepi. Or you or me, Balogun was that ineffective.
His play of the day came postmatch, when he approached Belgian coach Rudi Garcia and the two had a respectful exchange. A real diplomat, that Brooklyn-born, Britain-raised American by birthright.
This loss was a real team effort, of course. Christian Pulisic came off in the 59th minute after twisting his right ankle — leaving this World Cup without a goal in the four matches he appeared.
Matt Freese, the Harvard-educated starting goalkeeper, had a brain cramp of epic proportions when he stepped outside of the box and failed to corral a ball. Belgium’s Charles De Ketelaere kicked it loose and set up Hans Vanaken, whose shot traveled behind Ream for an easy score that made it 3-1 in the 57th minute.
There was a lot of poor decision-making with this match, on and off the pitch.
In the end, Trump’s appeal to Infantino did more harm than good. But what if some good could come from it?
Hey, FIFA, what about giving teams a process to appeal cards, like our American athletes in the NBA, NFL and MLB have?
Offering a suggestion box wouldn’t be opening Pandora’s box, not if it were a transparent and regular part of the game that would, hopefully, offer increasingly fair outcomes in a tournament where every match is so monumental — as our President recognized, much too enthusiastically.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino waves to the crown after a 4-1 loss to Belgium at the World Cup on Monday.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Four wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.
Who: Switzerland vs Colombia
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: BC Place Vancouver, Vancouver, Canada
When: Tuesday, July 7, at 1pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 16:45 GMT before our live text commentary stream.
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The World Cup’s round of 16 concludes on Tuesday in Vancouver, as Switzerland and Colombia face off, with both aiming to match their best performances.
Colombia have established themselves as dangerous outsiders at the tournament, right from topping their group to advancing into the last-16, all while conceding just one goal.
The South Americans’ sturdy defence, though, will face a tricky test against Switzerland, whose breakout star Johan Manzambi has caught global attention.
Playing at the same venue for a third consecutive time, Switzerland has a slight advantage heading into the game. But with Colombia boasting a balance of attacking flair and disciplined defence, the Swiss will have very little space and opportunity to exploit.
Al Jazeera tells you everything about Switzerland vs Colombia:
Switzerland topped Group B with seven points, beating Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and drawing with Qatar. They sealed a 2-0 victory over Algeria in the round of 32, bringing up their first World Cup knockout victory since 1938.
Colombia topped Group K with seven points, beating Uzbekistan and DR Congo, and holding Portugal to a draw. In the round of 32, they beat Ghana 1-0.
Switzerland’s 20-year-old midfielder Manzambi has arguably been their trump card at the tournament, thanks to his three goals and two assists.
Though he started his debut World Cup off the bench in the first game, the youngster has since become an integral part of the Swiss attack. From setting up chances to finishing them off in style, the swashbuckling Manzambi played an all-round role for his national side.
His breakout performance in the tournament prompted coach Murat Yakin to call him “a very precious and important player”.
“He has been constantly improving his performance. He is a team player. He’s not only a player that you like to watch … he is an all-rounder. He has many qualities and there is still so much potential in him,” Yakin added.
The Swiss attacking quartet of Manzambi, Breel Embolo, Dan Ndoye and Ruben Vargas have been in fine form, scoring eight of their team’s nine goals between them.
Should they click again and guide the team to victory, it would see Switzerland through to the quarterfinals for the first time since they hosted the tournament in 1954 – and their fourth overall (also 1934 and 1938).
Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo emphasised his “versatile” team’s ability to adapt to situations, as they look to follow in the footsteps of the their 2014 Brazil World Cup performance that resulted in the nation’s best-ever placing in the last-eight of the tournament.
“I believe it is key for us to have those types of players, players who interpret the game with simplicity, and that they know how to behave. They grasp the game, they understand the game,” Lorenzo said.
“On top of the fact that they have the physical and technical capacity that allows for improved versatility, they understand the game. They understand the different moments, and it enables the team to grow. I think we have many players of this sort who are highly versatile.”
Colombia have conceded just once so far – against Uzbekistan in their opening game – and registered five goals in five games, with Daniel Munoz scoring twice and Bayern Munich winger Luis Diaz bagging a goal and assist each.
The Opta supercomputer gives Colombia a 41.9 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Switzerland’s chances of winning are 28.2 percent.
The model estimates a 29.9 percent probability of the game going to extra time.
To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.
The winner of the Switzerland vs Colombia match will play either Argentina or Egypt in the quarterfinals in Kansas City in the US, on Saturday, July 11.
Wednesday’s World Cup match between Switzerland and Colombia will be their fifth meeting across all competitions. Three of those four previous encounters were friendlies, and the most recent dates back to March 2007, when Colombia won 3-1.
The only competitive encounter between these teams was a group-stage match at the 1994 World Cup, which Colombia won 2-0.
However, Colombia’s record against European opposition this year has not been great – they lost to Croatia and France in March friendlies, and drew with Portugal in their final group game this month at the tournament.
Switzerland have a major fitness issue: Mazambi, Vargas and Djibril Sow, three influential players, quit training early on Monday, raising doubts about their availability.
“Obviously, if they have to quit the training session earlier, everybody is very annoyed because this is going to be a very big loss. If they might not play, it could be a huge issue for us,” coach Yakin said.
Switzerland’s Aebischer and Jaquez are out with muscle injuries, while Colombia’s Cordoba is sidelined due to a groin injury.
(4-2-3-1): Kobel (goalkeeper); Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Ndoye, Manzambi, Vargas; Embolo
(4-3-3): Vargas (goalkeeper); Munoz, Sanchez, Lucumi, Mojica; Puerta, Lerma, Arias; Rodriguez, Suarez, Diaz
Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin said his team felt a “sense of injustice” over United States striker Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban being suspended by Fifa shortly before their World Cup last-16 match.
Balogun, 25, appeared certain to miss the tie in Seattle after being shown a straight red card for a foul on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the previous round.
But on Sunday Fifa suspended the automatic one-match ban for 12 months, leading to widespread criticism, with Uefa, Belgium and England boss Thomas Tuchel among those speaking out against the ruling.
On Monday US President Donald Trump said he asked Fifa to review Balogun’s ban, which he said would have left a “big stain” on the tournament.
But, despite the American’s star striker being cleared to play and starting the match, Belgium convincingly beat the tournament co-hosts 4-1.
“A lot has happened off the pitch over the last two days,”said Belgium and Rangers midfielder Raskin.
“There was a sense of injustice within the squad, and we were determined to respond on the field.”
Belgium captain Youri Tielemans insisted the affair had boosted his side.
“We told ourselves we had to respond on the pitch. That’s what we did,” he said.
After Belgium scored their fourth goal several of their players were pictured dancing in a style similar to the ‘Trump dance’ – where he rocks his hips and slowly pumps his arms – which gained notoriety during the 2024 US presidential campaign.
The official Instagram account for the Belgium national team also appeared to mock the debacle, posting a picture of striker Romelu Lukaku cupping his ear with the caption “overturn this”.
From a challenge to “overturn” the result to a celebration that looked quite similar to the host team president’s signature dance move, the United States’ World Cup dreams not only came to a crashing halt in the last-16 fixture against Belgium but also became the centre of social media mockery following the controversial events of the past day.
Charles De Ketelaere scored twice to give Belgium a 4-1 win overshadowed by FIFA’s controversial decision to suspend USA forward Folarin Balogun’s ban. US President Donald Trump’s actions that prompted the overturn put both the team and the player in the spotlight.
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De Ketelaere gave Belgium the lead in the ninth minute with a simple tap-in before Hans Vanaken punished a goalkeeping howler, and substitute Romelu Lukaku added a fourth to settle a last-16 clash on Monday.
Once Lukaku put the result beyond doubt, he was joined by his teammates in a celebratory dance that looked all too familiar for the global audience. Social media users were quick to link it back to President Trump’s signature dance move.
Balogun, who was named in USA coach Mauricio Pochettino’s starting lineup after FIFA suspended a one-game ban, was largely anonymous throughout Monday’s knockout tie at Seattle.
Instead, a rampant Belgium ruthlessly dismantled the USA’s hopes of reaching a first World Cup quarterfinal in 24 years, in a bitterly disappointing end to a campaign that had captivated the host nation.
Criticism of FIFA and solidarity with Belgium had already poured in before Monday’s match, but the USA’s disappointing performance produced a new wave of jeers while the game was still ongoing.
The Belgian Red Devils shared a cheeky post captioned “Overturn this” minutes after the match ended, besides snubbing the USA for calling the game “soccer” rather than football.
Social media users pinballed the USA’s poor performance from every angle; some joked that it was the first time the team was playing a match, while others said it was more embarrassing than the previous 48 hours had been. Balogun put in a non-starter performance that saw him subbed off in the 92nd minute.
It was sarcasm for the most part – or, perhaps not – when social media users cautioned that Trump could overturn Belgium’s 4-1 win if he felt like it.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino was in attendance for the match, watching from a suite with Pascale Van Damme, chair of the Belgian Football Association, and Cindy Parlow Cone, president of the USSF.
Belgium fans chanted “FIFA Mafia” during their pre-game march to Lumen Field.
People were quick to point out that when the Iranian team needed US visas, or when Somali referee Omar Artan was denied a US visa, or when Haiti was forced to change its jersey last minute over war imagery, Infantino shrugged his shoulders and absolved himself of any power to remedy crucial matters.
“We try always to find solutions – always,” Infantino had said at a news conference on the tournament’s eve.
“But then we need to respect that we are not the kings of the world who can rule over governments and police forces and I don’t know what. We are a sports organisation; we try to do our best with the means that we have.”
He fanned the flames at the news conference by adding: “We don’t control everything. Maybe it’s good to just chill, relax.”
Trump’s own niece, Mary Lea Trump – who has sued him over personal disputes and is one of his most vociferous critics – called out his interference in the matter.
“He casts a shadow over everything. He can only win if he cheats, and he thinks that applies to everybody else. Sad,” she wrote on X.
Belgium captain Youri Tielemans said the furore over Balogun had motivated his teammates.
“Let’s be honest: We held a meeting when we heard the news,” Tielemans said.
“We told ourselves we needed to do our talking on the pitch. That’s what we did today. I’m very proud of the team,” the Aston Villa midfielder told Belgium’s RTBF broadcaster.
Belgium midfielder Nicolas Raskin said his side’s win felt like a measure of justice after FIFA’s decision on Balogun.
“Like I said, I think there is always a justice somewhere in life, and the fact that something can happen like that, you can put it all you want, but we don’t think that was fair,” Raskin told reporters.
“And today, I think it just brings us a little bit of luck. We needed to win the game and the message throughout.”
Belgium coach Rudi Garcia, however, played down the dispute in his post-match news conference when asked if it had spurred his players.
“No, it wasn’t needed or necessary … What really mattered to us is our game plan,” he said, adding that he had spoken with Balogun after the final whistle.
“He came to talk to me, I really like that,” he said. “It’s not his fault, he’s not the one to blame and that’s what I told him.”
Belgium will face Spain in Los Angeles on Friday for a place in the semifinals.
As World Cup spending surges, BofA’s year-long merchant preparation is paying off.
Exorbitant ticket prices be damned. Die-hard soccer fans are flocking to host cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for the first tri-nation tournament in FIFA history. And they are proving to be exceptionally big spenders.
The Bank of America Institute — the firm’s research arm — mined its credit and debit card data and learned that the 2026 FIFA World Cup is delivering a massive economic win for host cities, driven overwhelmingly by these hefty-spending, out-of-town visitors.
During the tournament’s opening days from June 10–21, overall consumer spending in host markets jumped 6.3% year over year. “Non-local” cardholders — a category tracking both international tourists and U.S. residents traveling out of state for matches — fueled the lift. Their spending, according to data shared with Global Finance, climbed 16.7% year over year.
Bank of America’s data also highlighted a lucrative trend for local merchants: visiting fans are out-purchasing non-fans by a nearly 3-to-1 margin.
“We’re really only halfway through, as you know, so no surprise that the majority of that spend has been driven from non-local residents coming in,” said Sara Walsh, a Bank of America managing director who oversees the bank’s relationships with vendors and networks in payments and has spent more than a year preparing merchants for the tournament. “Restaurants, bars, hotels, of course, make up the majority of that.”
The data tracks with results from last year’s FIFA Club World Cup, a smaller-scale tournament that Bank of America Institute found drove a 7% year-over-year rise in consumer spending in host zip codes. Walsh told Global Finance in a phone interview that the event effectively served as a dry run for the numbers the bank is now seeing at scale.
“The Club World Cup gave us a nice little pilot into what the stats would look like, and they were very consistent with what we’re seeing here,” Walsh said.
Soccer fans, meanwhile, are proving to be especially heavy spenders. A study Bank of America conducted with Visa found that soccer fans spend on average 2.8 times more than non-fans, according to the Institute. Walsh said the bank analyzed customers making purchases tied to FIFA and MLS tickets to reach that conclusion.
The scale of the opportunity is significant. The tournament’s 16 U.S., Mexican and Canadian host cities together represent:
Historically, host nations have seen an average 0.4 percentage-point lift in GDP growth in the year following the tournament, the Institute found.
Bank of America began preparing merchants for the World Cup surge more than a year ago. It drew on its position spanning treasury, card-issuing and merchant-services clients. The prep work centered on three areas: building tools for merchants to capture customer data and loyalty even after fans leave the U.S.; speeding up checkout through contactless and pay-at-table technology; and ensuring cards from international networks, such as Japan’s JCB, are accepted without triggering declines.
“Merchants can either survive the World Cup or prosper from the World Cup,” Walsh said, citing a colleague’s framing of the stakes.
Restaurants and bars needed the most hand-holding, Walsh said, particularly around pay-at-table functionality that’s common internationally but was slower to catch on in the U.S. The bank also coached retailers on when to use 3D Secure authentication — the phone-based verification step common in Europe — given the risk of transaction friction in crowded, high-traffic settings with spotty connectivity.
“We did not want to have customers who are standing in line, they’ve come all this way, get ready to purchase, and have their cards decline,” Walsh said. So far, she said, cross-border approval rates have held up as fans travel from city to city.
One surprise for the bank has been spending spillover into unrelated events and sectors. Walsh said Bank of America has seen international visitors attending Major League Baseball games and concerts during their trips, alongside a pickup in merchandise sales tied to breakout national teams.
“You’re going to have people who are purchasing things from some of these teams that maybe a month ago no one had ever even heard of these countries, and all of a sudden they’re winning,” Walsh said, adding that merchandise sales represent a “fun kickback” opportunity for merchants tied to Cinderella-story squads.
Cape Verde’s inspiring World Cup run, for example, captivated fans. The team, representing an island nation of just 535,000, reached the knockout stage unbeaten and pushed Argentina, the reigning champs, to a hard-fought 3-2 extra-time loss.
Bank of America worked with Visa and FIFA, along with industry forums including Money20/20, the Electronic Transactions Association, and the Merchant Advisory Group, to prepare merchants of all sizes through its Merchant Engagement Program, Walsh said.
Looking ahead, Walsh said that the bank plans to apply lessons from the World Cup to future events on U.S. soil. That includes the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which the U.S. will jointly host with Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica.
“We will definitely continue to use these events for learning opportunities to improve where we need to and get ready for those events as well,” she added.
Anthony Noto covers corporate finance and private credit. Contact him at anoto@gfmag.com
Belgium ease past a defensively sloppy United States in a match shrouded in controversy surrounding the delayed suspension of co-hosts’ striker Folarin Balogun.
MATCH REPORT: US limp out of World Cup as Belgium reach quarter-finals
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Hossam Hassan uses his FIFA World Cup news conference to raise awareness about the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.
By Reuters and The Associated Press
Published On 7 Jul 20267 Jul 2026
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan has reiterated his support for Palestine days after dedicating his team’s historic knockout win at the World Cup to the Palestinian people and waving their flag at the biggest sporting event in the world.
Hassan broke away from discussing his team’s upcoming round-of-16 match against Argentina to give an impassioned monologue about the plight of the Palestinian people at his news conference on Monday.
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“If there is anyone in the world who does not feel for the Palestinian people, then they are not human — whether they are Arab, European, or American,” Hassan said. He spoke for more than four minutes on the subject and was applauded by many of the assembled media.
Israeli attacks across Gaza have continued to kill Palestinians, despite an ongoing “ceasefire” between Israel and Hamas. Israel has killed at least 73,066 people, including at least 20,179 children, in Gaza since the beginning of its genocidal war on October 7. At least 463 of those have been killed due to starvation, including 157 children.
More than 2million Palestinians in Gaza, largely displaced and living amid ruins, face uncertainty following the Israeli genocide.
Hassan was asked what prompted him to wave the Palestinian flag after his team’s penalty-shootout win over Australia on Friday, and he responded by saying it was “simply a human reaction”.
“Everywhere in the world, including in Europe or America, if someone hurts an animal, we see animal rights being defended and the whole world reacts,” Hassan said. “It has become normal to hear that two or three thousand people die in a single day because of a missile.”
The genocide sparked pro-Palestinian protests around the world, with athletes, including Spain’s Lamine Yamal, showing their support.
While Hassan dealt with questions about Lionel Messi and his team’s chances against the holders, he also spoke at length about Palestinians.
“Regardless of religion… I am a human before being Arab or anything else. My message, through football, is this: Please, just as FIFA’s slogan calls for respect among us, I hope there will be respect for people’s right to live,” Hassan said.
With a win over Argentina, Egypt would reach the quarterfinals for the first time.
“My dreams have no limits. My ambitions have no limits. I promise that we will do everything to live up to the expectations [of fans],” Hassan said. “We’re no underdogs. We’re big in every respect. We are a civilisation that is 7,000 years old, even more than 7,000 years.”
Hassan conceded that his side were not favourites for Tuesday’s clash, but insisted they were far from overawed.
“We know we are playing against the World Cup holders and one of the greatest players ever [Messi], but we do not fear them.
“[The] responsibility makes us focus on ourselves and on what we can produce on the field,” he added.
“We have a responsibility towards Egypt and the Arab world and Africa. We represent all of them.”
United States goalkeeper Matt Freese makes a huge error in judgement when he gifts Belgium’s Hans Vanaken the ball, leaving him with an easy finish. Errors all around as Belgium take control of the last-16 tie.
REPORT: US 1-4 Belgium
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Comedian Trevor Noah joked that US President Donald Trump’s intervention in Folarin Balogun’s red card saga amounted to “government interference”. His comments came during his livestreamed “Trevor Noah’s World Cup Watch Party” ahead of the USA-Belgium match.
Published On 7 Jul 20267 Jul 2026
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That defensive solidity begins with Unai Simon.
The Spain goalkeeper continues to rewrite history as he extended his remarkable run without letting in a goal at the World Cup to a record 609 minutes, keeping Cristiano Ronaldo and company at bay in Dallas.
“Portugal dictated most of the game, but Rafael Leao did not offer that extra spark, neither did the other substitutes,” said Balague.
“Spain defended in numbers and collectively, they tracked back a lot. They individually sorted out problems. So we haven’t needed a miracle save from Simon.”
During this tournament, Simon has surpassed Walter Zenga’s mark of 517 consecutive minutes without conceding for Italy, as well as his compatriot Iker Casillas’ benchmark of 476.
Ahead of Simon, Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubarsi are at the heart of their defence, while Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella provide the width from full-back.
That back-four has started three of Spain’s five matches at this World Cup so far, with Marcos Llorente deputising for Porro at right-back in the other two.
Balague added: “It also helps that Rodri is reaching his best version and he has had two extraordinary games – he is the lighthouse of the team.
“The partnership between Laporte and Cubarsi is perfect for the way Spain plays – moving the ball around, driving with it, and defending with a lot of space in behind.”
FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-match ban on United States striker Folarin Balogun, allowing the team’s leading goal scorer to play in their crucial last-16 World Cup match against Belgium, has stirred a controversy hours ahead of the USA vs Belgium last-16 match.
The row and ensuing uproar deepend on Monday when US President Donald Trump confirmed asking FIFA to review its decision against Balogun, with FIFA utlimately making a U-turn on the player’s suspension from the crucial fixture.
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Was FIFA’s decision the result of an unfair power move from President Trump, or was it a warranted correction to a red card that should not have been issued in the first place?
It depends on who you ask.
Football fans of the cohost nation appear to be divided on the controversy.
While there is near consensus that the red card Balogun received against Bosnia and Herzegovina was harsh, not everyone agrees with Trump’s intervention.
“I think it’s bull****,” Cesar Espino, who was watching the Spain vs Portugal round-of-16 match at a pub near downtown Washington, DC, told Al Jazeera hours ahead of kickoff in the USA-Belgium game.
“I feel like if you win it’s a stain because Balogun is one of our top players.”
He added that the decision will make the USA “more unlikeable”, adding to the list of controversies for the host nation, including travel bans and the restrictions against the Iranian team during the group stage.
But 23-year-old Oscar Ramirez argued that the issue is more nuanced than the USA gaining an unfair advantage “because of the nature of the red card”.
“I think most people, including myself, believe the red card was unfair; it was unjust,” Ramirez said.
“I think you’ll have some people who will be like, we should keep the rules no matter what. And you’ll have some people who will be like, that card shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”
The USA fan admitted jokingly that he is biased, so he supports the decision.
“I’m American, and I want our best chances. And without him, we don’t have a good chance,” Ramirez said.
Balogun, the USA’s top scorer in the tournament with three goals, received the red card for a studs-up contact near the ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic.
The USA striker was looking at the ball, so the incident appeared unintentional. Nonetheless, Balogun was sent off after an onfield VAR review, triggering an at least one-match suspension.
A FIFA board subsequently suspended the penalty without providing an explanation.
Trump, who enjoys close relations with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, confirmed on Monday that he requested a review of the suspension.
“All I did – I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump said.
He also suggested that the US conducted research on the referee who issued the card, calling the official “very suspect”.
“If you like I can provide you with the past,” he told reporters.
FIFA has insisted that the decision was taken by a judicial panel that operates independently with Infantino denying that his conversation with Trump may have influenced the process.
“During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies,” the FIFA president said in a statement.
“That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.”
Despite that assertion, US Senator Ted Cruz thanked Trump earlier for “getting rid of that ridiculous red card”.
The controversy has infuriated Belgian football officials. But in the US, some politicians and commentators lauded Trump for his intervention.
“I admit that I’m not the biggest soccer fan, but I’m glad President Trump urged FIFA to do the right thing. Good for President Trump, good for Folarin Balogun, good for the USA,” Republican Senator Tom Cotton wrote on X.
For his part, Fox Sport analyst Alexi Lalas said lifting Balogun’s suspension was surprising but welcome news.
“What happened here is America stood up for itself,” Lalas, a former USA player, told Fox News.
“The powers that be when it comes to the United States Soccer Federation did what they needed to do within the rules and regulations that exist in order to give ourselves the best possible chance of being successful.”
But CBS Sports commentator Nico Cantor said the episode set a “dangerous precedent” that undermines the authority of the referees making decisions based on their interpretations of the rules.
“For as much as I believe Balogun didn’t deserve the red, it’s an interpretable decision,” he wrote on X.
“Anything can now be questioned after the fact. And it’s up to FIFA’s ‘judicial body’ – whoever that is, wherever they are – to call make critical decisions as they see fit.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani had also called the red card “cruel”, but he refused to comment on FIFA’s decision to suspend the suspension.
Instead, he posted a GIF of Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho saying, “I prefer not to speak. If I speak – big trouble.”
Back in Washington, DC, US fan Lucas Faria said it was “crazy” that the suspension was overturned, but he added that the decision is unlikely to derail trust in the World Cup because it is already loaded with controversy.
Faria told Al Jazeera that the tournament has been a Trump-Infantino show.
“The tickets have been outrageous. It’s been an outrageous tournament so far. This is just an obvious thing,” he said.
Faria added, however, that the US team should not be judged for FIFA’s decisions.
“It’s not on them,” he told Al Jazeera.