USA striker Folarin Balogun stated that President Donald Trump's intervention to overturn his World Cup suspension was bound to "cause a lot of controversy." Balogun was initially suspended for one match after receiving a red card, but FIFA's disciplinary committee suspended the ban for a year, allowing him to play in the US's next game.

Human rights group Fair Square has filed a complaint with the International Olympic Committee, alleging FIFA president Gianni Infantino breached rules on political neutrality by dealing with President Trump, who admitted intervening on Balogun's behalf. Balogun expressed happiness at being able to play but acknowledged the "unique" and "difficult" situation due to the "outside noise."

Fair Square claims Infantino has repeatedly breached the Olympic Charter and the IOC's code of ethics. The complaint details five clear breaches, with additional evidence of two more serious breaches, including the Balogun case. The Norwegian football federation and fifty members of the European Parliament have also urged FIFA's ethics committee to address Fair Square's complaint.