Folarin Balogun, a 25-year-old United States striker, was sent off during the World Cup match against Bosnia-Herzegovina for serious foul play, an infraction that typically results in a two-game suspension under Fifa rules. However, Fifa's disciplinary committee waived the ban entirely. The decision sparked considerable backlash after reports emerged that US President Donald Trump and White House officials had contacted Fifa to advocate for Balogun's case.

The controversy deepened when England's Jarell Quansah received the standard two-match suspension for a similar red-card incident against Mexico, highlighting the inconsistency in how the committee treated comparable fouls. When confronted by BBC Sport, Mohammad al Kamali, the chair of Fifa's disciplinary committee, refused to answer any questions about the decision-making process or the influence of external pressure. Fifa subsequently released an 871-word statement defending the Balogun decision but provided no specific details about which circumstances or evidence prompted the waiver.