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Belgium's players appeared to take a swipe at Donald Trump after dumping the United States out of the World Cup, leaving many people saying the same thing.
The Red Devils sent the tournament hosts crashing out of FIFA’s flagship competition after capitalising on a string of defensive mistakes before sealing the win with a late fourth goal from Romelu Lukaku, prompting celebrations from him and his teammates that appeared to mimic the “Trump dance”.
The match had already been steeped in controversy before kick-off after FIFA allowed USA striker Folarin Balogun to play despite being sent off in the previous round.
Trump had publicly supported FIFA's decision during an appearance in the Oval Office earlier in the week, revealing he had spoken to FIFA president Gianni Infantino before Balogun's suspension was overturned, confirming he had pushed for the suspension of the red card.
Belgium had strongly objected to the decision and demanded an explanation, even threatening further action if Balogun was eligible to play.
However, after comfortably defeating the United States, the players appeared to make their feelings known with their post-match celebrations.
Charles De Ketelaere scored twice during the opening half, while Malik Tillman briefly gave the USA hope with a free-kick.
Hans Vanaken restored Belgium's two-goal cushion after the break before Romelu Lukaku added a fourth goal late on, celebrating with gestures many viewers compared to Trump's signature dance moves.
The result was particularly painful for the hosts after the build-up had been dominated by the Balogun eligibility saga.
Belgium had originally prepared for the Round of 16 expecting the Arsenal forward to miss the match following his red card. However, FIFA reversed the suspension shortly before the game.
The original dismissal had already sparked debate, while the decision to overturn the ban led to even greater scrutiny. Infantino's close relationship with Trump also prompted questions from critics about the handling of the situation.
Although Infantino later issued a statement, Belgium challenged Balogun's eligibility, but FIFA ruled the complaint "inadmissible."
Following that decision, the Royal Belgian Football Association warned it was considering further action.
"This leaves all further actions open," the federation said.
"To date, the RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure."
Belgium's official national team account also joined in after the final whistle, posting a graphic showing the 4-1 scoreline alongside the caption: "Overturn this."
Following the match, social media quickly filled with jokes suggesting Trump's close relationship with FIFA could lead to further controversy.
One X user joked: "Has Trump put in a request with FIFA to make it a best of 7 series with Belgium yet?"
Another wrote: "Donald Trump has demanded a replay of USA v Belgium because the US team was only allowed 11 players on the 'field' (he means pitch) and all the Belgian scorers should be red carded (whatever that means) for being disrespectful ... #LandOfTheFree eh?"
A third added: "Trump Will want a Review on this Match, so u guys can replay the match..."
Belgium will now face current European champions, Spain, in the quarter-finals on Friday.
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Donald Trump has revealed the details of his call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino after the controversial suspension of a ban to USMNT player Folarin Balogun.
Balogun’s red card ban was suspended after FIFA intervention, freeing him up to face Belgium in Monday’s quarter final.
Trump also questioned the integrity of the referee of the game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, calling him ‘suspect’.
There has been widespread outrage after the rarely-used rule was brought in to ensure that Balogun could feature up front for the USA, with Belgium’s soccer federation set to appeal the decision and European governing body UEFA also speaking out against it.
Speaking at the White House, Trump said: “I saw the play, and I’m a person that loves sports...
“That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction.
“This referee, who is a little bit suspect if you check his past.
“He made a call that nobody could believe.
“He’s our best player, or one of our best players. And he gave him a red card. I didn’t know what that meant…”
He then confirmed: “Yes, I asked for a review by FIFA.”
Later in the comments, Trump revealed how much he knows about soccer, telling the gathered journalists: “I didn’t know what the hell a red card was. When I found out, I said, ‘You gotta be kidding!’”
The referee, Raphael Claus, sent off Balogun during the US team’s 2-0 win against Bosnia in the 64th minute.
Then, on Sunday, FIFA announced that the one-match ban would be suspended.
That decision attracted particular attention as Donald Trump had made a call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino asking him to rescind or suspend Balogun’s ban.
According to Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary code, the game ban will be suspended for one year.
FIFA’s statement said: “If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
Afterwards, Trump thanked FIFA for making the call and ‘reversing a great injustice’.
So far, Donald Trump has not attended any games in this World Cup, spread between the US, Canada and Mexico, but he will reportedly attend the final and could even hand over the trophy.
After the decision to allow Balogun to play, Belgium manager Rudi Garcia said: “I didn’t know that at the World Cup the 5th of July is actually the first of April. It’s April Fools.
“We’re not defending the national team or the federation, we are defending football, integrity. It’s the first time in World Cup history that such a decision has been taken.”
The Belgian football governing body released a statement confirming it was ‘astonished’ by the rule application, as there is no recourse to appeal yellow cards - the second of which resulted in Balogun’s sending off.
Chelsea star Cole Palmer appeared visibly confused after spotting U.S. President Donald Trump during the Club World Cup trophy presentation, sparking widespread reaction from fans online.
The Premier League club secured the FIFA Club World Cup title on Sunday with a commanding 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. A brace from Palmer and a goal from João Pedro sealed the victory for Enzo Maresca’s side.
However, it wasn’t just the on-pitch performance grabbing headlines. During the post-match trophy ceremony, players were joined on stage by 79-year-old Trump, who remained alongside the squad as they lifted the trophy.
Footage of Palmer’s reaction to Trump’s presence quickly went viral on social media. The 23-year-old forward looked visibly surprised as Chelsea captain Reece James stepped forward to hoist the Club World Cup.
Fans quickly decoded what they believed to be Palmer’s reaction, with many lip-reading him uttering the words: “What’s he doing?”
One viewer commented: “Palmer: ‘What’s he doing?’” while another wrote: “He was surprised as well as confused.” A third added: “You can literally see Cole Palmer visibly confused at Trump being there, you can’t make this up.”
Another fan said: “Chelsea trying to celebrate winning the World Cup with Trump in the way is FRYING ME. Cole Palmer: ‘What’s he doing?’”
Speaking after the match, Palmer confirmed he hadn’t expected Trump to appear on stage with the team.
“I knew he was going to be here but I didn’t know he was going to be on the stand when we lifted the trophy,” Palmer told The Independent. “I was a bit confused, yeah.”
Reflecting on Chelsea’s performance, Palmer added: “It’s a great feeling. Even better because everyone doubted us before the game, we knew that. To put a fight on like we did, it’s good.”
He also praised manager Enzo Maresca’s tactical preparation: “The gaffer put a great gameplan out. He knew where the space was going to be. He tried to free me up as much as possible and I just had to repay him and score some goals.”
While Chelsea celebrated their latest international success, it was Palmer’s candid reaction that offered an unexpected (and highly relatable) moment for fans watching around the world.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is shaping up to be one of the biggest sporting events in history – but two surprise qualifiers on Donald Trump’s newly reinstated travel-ban list are already raising major questions about how smoothly the tournament will run on U.S. soil.
The expanded 48-team competition, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, kicks off next summer. With qualifying nearly wrapped, 42 nations have already booked their place, including debut appearances from Curaçao, Cape Verde, Jordan, and Uzbekistan.
But the celebrations come with a looming problem.
In June, President Trump reintroduced a sweeping travel ban targeting several countries. The list includes Afghanistan, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Myanmar, Chad, Congo-Brazzaville, Eritrea, Equatorial Guinea, and Haiti. Another group – including Cuba, Venezuela, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Turkmenistan – faces partial restrictions.
Iran, who topped their Asian qualifying group with 23 points, have made it to their seventh World Cup. Haiti joined them this week after a decisive 2–0 win over Nicaragua, securing only their second-ever appearance at the tournament.
But both Iran and Haiti remain on the banned list. Reports suggest U.S. authorities have already blocked the Iranian delegation from entering the country for December’s World Cup draw – a worrying sign of what could follow for players, staff, and fans.
On paper, Trump’s restrictions bar most nationals from banned countries from entering the U.S. as immigrants or tourists. That includes thousands of fans who would otherwise be traveling to support their teams.
However, athletes competing in major international sporting events are exempt – meaning players, coaches, and essential staff from the affected nations will be allowed in. Immediate family members are reportedly also covered.
The real uncertainty lies with supporters.
The U.S. hosts 11 World Cup cities, and FIFA expects to make more than six million tickets available, according to The Guardian. But fans from banned nations will need to navigate a more complicated visa process than most.
To handle the massive influx of applications, U.S. embassies will use a newly created FIFA Prioritised Appointment Scheduling System (PASS). Fans with verified tickets will be bumped to the front of the line for visa interviews, though approval still isn’t guaranteed.
“America welcomes the world,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said, calling PASS “a very concrete example” of efforts to make 2026 the most inclusive World Cup ever.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that PASS “guarantees you an expedited appointment” but stressed that all applicants face the same vetting process, BBC News reports.
Meanwhile, Trump has continued warning host cities that they could lose their matches if they don’t crack down on crime – most recently aiming threats at Seattle after similar remarks about Boston.
With the World Cup draw set for December 5 and the tournament just months away, FIFA, U.S. officials, and competing nations are working through the diplomatic complications.
For now, Iran and Haiti remain fully qualified — and fully restricted. Whether the political tension spills onto the pitch is a storyline no one expected heading into 2026, but it’s already shaping up to be one of the tournament’s biggest off-field dramas.
Donald Trump’s administration was dragged into further disrepute after it banned one of Africa’s top referees from entering the country, and now the White House has come out to explain its decision.
With the FIFA World Cup just days away, Somali referee Omar Artan was due to make history by becoming the first official to represent the country at FIFA’s flagship tournament.
However, upon arriving in Miami, Artan was subjected to a lengthy interrogation from US immigration officers before being sent home.
Somalia is currently one of the countries on the United States’ “banned list”, which prohibits travel to and from the East African nation due to concerns around safety and immigration.
The White House has since explained its decision to bar Artan from entry, with Andrew Giuliani, the executive director of the White House task force for the 2026 World Cup, saying: "There have been some officials that have been denied, and for good reason."
Responding to the question, Giuliani added: "We're striking that balance between making sure that any bad actors that try to come into the country under the guise of the World Cup will not get access to the United States."
In a statement to Fox, Giuliani said: "This individual was seeking admission to the United States. Upon further inspection by CBP, derogatory information, including association with suspected members of terror organizations, was discovered making the traveler ineligible for admission to the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
He continued: “The traveler was refused admission and given immigration forms that provide the section of law used to complete an expedited removal under 8235 of the INA. President Trump's administration will not allow any security threat to enter our country - full stop.”
This comes after numerous players, officials, and fans have either been detained or denied access to the United States for similar reasons.
Due to the ongoing war in the Middle East, Iran’s national side has been forced to house its training base in Mexico, only permitted to access the US for games.
While Artan was denied entry, he was greeted by hundreds of fans when he arrived back in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.
“What happened has happened and it was unfortunate. I am grateful for the support Fifa gave me,” Artan said.
Despite the ongoing civil war, Artan urged his compatriots to support the country, “Somalia is ours, whether things are good or bad. I want to tell our youth not to lose hope in our country. I am now in my country, and there is no other place I want to be.”
“I promise you, God willing, that I will attend the next one,” he said as hundreds of supporters at the airport waved the Somali flag. “I want the Somali public to take comfort in this and remain confident.”
The FIFA World Cup will be here before we know it, but for some fans, gaining entry to the US to watch the games could prove tricky...
The biggest sporting event on the planet will be held in Canada, Mexico, and the USA this summer.
While fans from around the world usually flock in their hundreds of thousands to the tournaments, this year might be a little different due to Visa bans.
Among the 15 countries impacted by this measure is Brazil, the country with the most World Cup wins in history, per LBC.
Brazil also clinched the title during the 1994 World Cup, which was held on American soil. The current ban could make it harder for Brazilian supporters and officials to attend the event this year.
Scotland, which is making its first appearance in a World Cup finals since 1998, is facing a similar situation.
All three of Scotland’s group opponents - Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti - are on the list of affected countries. If the visa ban remains in place, it could potentially limit the number of fans and officials traveling to the US to support their teams during the tournament.
According to the memo, the visa restrictions are part of a temporary move by the Trump administration to strengthen its vetting procedures for applicants.
The policy aims to prevent individuals who might rely on public benefits or welfare programs from entering the country.
As part of the vetting process, US officials will consider several factors, including an applicant’s health, age, and proficiency in English.
"The State Department will use its long-standing authority to deem ineligible potential immigrants who would become a public charge on the United States and exploit the generosity of the American people," said State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott.
He added: "Immigration from these 75 countries will be paused while the State Department reassesses immigration processing procedures to prevent the entry of foreign nationals who would take welfare and public benefits."
The visa ban is likely to have a major impact on World Cup logistics, especially if the restrictions persist throughout the tournament.
Aside from Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti, the policy affects several other footballing nations. These include:
If the ban remains in place, the absence of fans from these 75 countries could create a noticeable void in the stadiums, with fewer supporters attending matches to cheer on their teams.
This could alter the atmosphere of the tournament and affect the overall fan experience.
The timing of this visa freeze is also notable, as it coincides with rising tensions between the US and Iran, another country that will participate in the World Cup.
The Trump administration is reportedly weighing options to strike Iran following its violent crackdown on protests by the Islamic regime.
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