America’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign suffered a major setback after Belgium defeated the hosts 4-1 to reach the quarter-finals in a match already surrounded by controversy over a pre-game suspension decision.

The fixture drew added attention after US President Donald Trump said before the match that if America lost, he would call the result “fixed,” comparing it in a joking tone to his claims about the 2020 presidential election.

The controversy began before kick-off when American forward Folarin Balogun, who was facing a one-match suspension after a red card, was allowed to play after FIFA deferred the ban. Reports linked the move to Trump’s intervention.

Belgium challenged FIFA’s decision and filed an appeal against Balogun’s availability, but the football governing body rejected the appeal before the match.

Speaking at the White House ahead of the game, Trump said both teams would enter the field at full strength and that Belgium should be proud if it managed to win.

However, he added that if the United States lost, he would describe the match as “fixed,” while saying he would not comment further on the matter.

Belgium went on to dominate the match, securing a 4-1 victory over the United States and booking its place in the World Cup quarter-finals.

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