Afghanistan, July 6 -- Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp questioned reports of political interference in football after FIFA overturned a red card shown to United States forward Folarin Balogun, allowing him to play in the hosts' Round of 16 match against Belgium at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA accepted an appeal by the U.S. Soccer Federation to rescind Balogun's dismissal, making the striker available for one of the tournament's most closely watched knockout fixtures. The decision drew criticism from the Belgian Football Association, which questioned the process used to review the referee's decision.
The controversy intensified after media reports alleged that U.S. President Donald Trump had contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino...