Incredible but true. The direct red card given to American player Folarin Balogun for stepping on a Bosnian player was erased by FIFA. FIFA President Italian Gianni Infantino bowed to the wishes of American President Donald Trump, who either gave him a phone call or something else entirely. The fact is that for the first time in two and a half centuries of existence, such a decision has been made. Needless to say, FIFA's attitude has scandalized not only football circles but also the political world. Donald Trump has shown he is the master of the world and that even the all-powerful FIFA bows to him. There is reason to believe this when you know that the United States invested in the largest budget, with eleven stadiums, compared to two and three for Canada and Mexico. Had he already been president when FIFA designated the host country for the 2026 World Cup, he would never have accepted this three-way arrangement. We know too well his great affection for Canada and Mexico, which he courts willingly or by force through tariff rights. Gianni Infantino obeys his every command. To the point of accepting cooling breaks that nothing justifies, given that there is no heat wave and some stadiums are covered and air-conditioned. It is simply a revival of an old idea: moving from 2 x 45 minutes to 3 x 30 minutes. This was precisely during the 1994 World Cup in the United States. The objective is to be able to pass the maximum number of advertisements during the two 10-minute breaks. With the 2 x 3-minute cooling breaks, FIFA, a non-profit association, rakes in an astronomical amount. Twenty seconds of advertising costs Fox Sports 750,000 dollars, while M6 pays 315,000 dollars for twenty seconds, an amount that will rise to 425,000 dollars as the competition venue advances. FIFA collects a hefty sum from sponsorships, advertisements and especially broadcasting rights. And it charges spectators with ticket prices that have caused much talk. As for referees, FIFA's choice leaves one perplexed. Judges came from certain countries where football remains a pastime, like Somalia, Uzbekistan, the Cayman Islands, Kiribati, Nauru, the Maldive Islands... How can one be a good referee if a country doesn't even have a championship? Some are rather suited to taekwondo or MMA. The power of money is thus killing the values of football, which make it the king of sports. Proof of this is that it is the World Cup least watched around the world, and we follow it far from the passion of the 1990, 1994, 1998 World Cups... The king is truly dead. Sylvain Ranjalahy