Written by: Editorial3 min readJul 6, 2026 07:03 PM IST First published on: Jul 6, 2026 at 07:03 PM ISTIn sport — as in so much else — America does its own thing. Major League Baseball (most major American sports revolve around matches between privately-owned teams, based in cities à la IPL or club football) has a “World Series” every year in which most of the world does not participate. So, too, with basketball and what Americans call football. “Soccer”, though, is actually a truly global sport and one in which the US is far from ruling the roost. It is full of upsets and heartbreaks, and part of the joy of the Beautiful Game lies in its sorrows — a shot that goes off the pole, a spectacular save during a penalty shootout, the offside that robs the elation of what looked like a goal. The greatest of these, though, may be crying foul at a foul against your country’s star player. Everywhere, fans know that sinking feeling after a Red Card and complain against the referee, knowing that it is futile and they must live with the decision. Everywhere, that is, except in Donald Trump’s America.Until last week, Trump’s imprimatur did not dominate the FIFA World Cup, which the US is co-hosting: While the actions of his administration, including the ordeal faced by Iran’s national team and the refusal to grant Somalian referee Omar Artan a visa, made headlines, Trump himself did not attend a single game and has hardly mentioned the tournament on his prolific social media posts. Then, on Wednesday, the US’s star striker Folarin Balogun was given a Red Card in the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, which carried a one-match ban. Trump reportedly made multiple phone calls to FIFA, which announced that it had suspended the ban under Article 27 of its disciplinary code.Advertisement“The thing about football,” Terry Pratchett wrote, “is that it’s never just about football”. The Balogun episode is a reminder of that axiom. Even before the tournament began, Article 27 was used by FIFA to suspend a ban that allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to play in the first two matches of this World Cup. After all, no Ronaldo would have meant a lot less money and fewer eyeballs. And FIFA President Gianni Infantino awarded Trump a “peace prize” — made up all but on the spot — in December last year. The logic of his actions is familiar to anyone who has played gully cricket: It’s best not to upset the rich guy who owns the bat. Turns out, even on the biggest sporting stage, the backyard bully rules the roost.