FIFA and Trump co-hosted a reception at Trump Tower before Sunday\u2019s World Cup final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. FIFA has an office in Trump Tower for which it pays rent to the Trump family business.<\/p>\n
Infantino appeared to suggest those in attendance for the broadcast included global heads of states, soccer federation executives, FIFA Council members and ex-players he describes as FIFA Legends. The White House press pool was in attendance but there were no questions taken by Infantino or Trump after a tournament which has included multiple moments of high controversy. <\/a><\/p>\n As of Friday evening, FIFA has not announced any closing press conference where media will be afforded opportunities to ask Infantino questions. Infantino did not appear at a prior publicized media appearance with the former England defender Rio Ferdinand at Fanatics Festival earlier on Friday. The event had been on the schedule earlier this week but then disappeared by Friday morning, with FIFA then saying no event had ever been planned.<\/p>\n \n Trump praised Infantino for Balogun being able to play (Andrew Harnik\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n The appearance at Trump Tower began with Trump and Infantino standing at the front of the room as Lee Greenwood\u2019s God Bless The U.S.A. played, which is a song often used as Trump\u2019s walk-out anthem at his rallies. The appearance ended with Village People\u2019s Y.M.C.A, also often played at Trump rallies.<\/p>\n Infantino was first to speak, telling Trump they had \u201cexceeded all expectations\u201d with the World Cup and, in doing so, said that the FIFA president had fulfilled a promise made to Trump in the summer of 2018, shortly after the bid was secured during Trump\u2019s first term in the White House. Infantino praised Trump: \u201cYou told me America would welcome the world and you did welcome the world. Everyone who came here enjoyed it and everyone who stayed home enjoyed it.\u201d<\/p>\n Infantino made no mention of the U.S. decision to block the Somali FIFA referee Omar Artan from entering the country, with administration officials alleging this was due to \u201cassociation with suspected members of terror organizations.\u201d Infantino responded at a pre-tournament press conference by asserting America\u2019s right to protect its borders, adding: \u201cIt is important sometimes to chill, relax.\u201d<\/p>\n Infantino also made no mention of the difficulties raised by Iran\u2019s national team during the competition<\/a>, with the team\u2019s captain Mehdi Taremi having described the tournament as a \u201cdisaster\u201d in its organization due to the restrictions on visas and movement for his team. Four competing World Cup nations \u2014 Iran, Haiti, Senegal and Ivory Coast \u2014 are under travel bans, meaning fans were limited in their travel. \u201cI think that every team can have their people, so I don\u2019t understand why people from Africa cannot have their people,\u201d said Senegal captain Kalidou Koulibaly<\/a> to The Athletic during the group stage.<\/p>\n Infantino then described FIFA, as ever, as \u201cthe official happiness provider of humanity.\u201d Trump interrupted: \u201cUnless the team loses.\u201d<\/p>\n Infantino then went into overdrive: \u201cAll this would not have been possible, and I say this because its the truth, because you don\u2019t need people to compliment you Mr. President, this World Cup would not have been such an incredible success without you.\u201d Infantino then encouraged the room to applaud Trump. \u201cThis is the greatest human, social and cultural event mankind has ever witnessed. For this, I thank you. One country will be world champion but the world has already won, America has won, FIFA has won,\u201d Infantino said.<\/p>\n \n The challenge for which Balogun received a red card (Michael Steele\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n Trump then took the microphone and moved the conversation onto Balogun\u2019s red card. Balogun had been dismissed in the U.S.\u2019s 2-0 round-of-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, triggering an automatic one-game ban, which multiple FIFA officials had told The Athletic and many other media outlets could not be appealed.<\/p>\n But just a day before the USMNT faced Belgium at Lumen Field in Seattle, The Athletic revealed Balogun would, in fact, be available<\/a>. This was later confirmed by statements from FIFA. Trump would later say he had made a phone call to Infantino to ask for the case to be reviewed. Balogun was then made eligible to face Belgium after FIFA\u2019s disciplinary committee suspended the sanction, but the committee has not explained the reason for this decision, which triggered widespread accusations of political interference in the World Cup. Infantino denied this.<\/p>\n At Trump Tower on Friday, the U.S. president said: \u201cThis has been a tournament like no other. Filled with fierce competition, unforgettable moments \u2014 probably the most unforgettable is when they gave that gentleman\u2026 Is it a red card?\u201d<\/p>\n Trump then teased: \u201cI was forced to call Gianni and just make a recommendation. I said, \u2018Gianni, I\u2019d like to make a recommendation. Let the guy in the game\u2019.<\/p>\n Trump added: \u201cNo, I didn\u2019t say that. I said, \u2018I\u2019d like to wage a complaint\u2019. And actually, I didn\u2019t, I had no idea what was going to happen, but it\u2019s so much better the way it worked out because there\u2019s no controversy. They (Belgium) won the game and our team had all of its players. You (Gianni) made another great decision if you think about it. I know you\u2019ll never get credit. But if he (Gianni) didn\u2019t allow him (Balogun), then the (USMNT) would say \u2018We would have won the game if we had our best players\u2019. So Gianni made yet another of his many good decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n At one point, Infantino appeared to meekly protest and mouth that he did not make the decision, but it was barely audible.<\/p>\n During Trump\u2019s remarks, he said he wanted to thank \u201cour great FIFA president, Gianni, there is nobody like him.\u201d<\/p>\n He also ran through some of the biggest names in the tournament, praising Argentina captain Lionel Messi\u2019s passing ability. He described him as one of those players \u201cborn with something extra special.\u201d He said Portugal\u2019s Cristiano Ronaldo was another of the same ilk. \u201cI got to know him over those years and he\u2019s a great guy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2286558662-scaled.jpg\")
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