Axios

The Union of European Football Associations said FIFA "crossed a red line" by lifting U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's one-match suspension.

Why it matters: UEFA, which represents most of Europe's soccer federations, came out swinging after FIFA reversed course — a move that followed President Trump's call to FIFA President Gianni Infantino demanding answers about why the U.S. star had been sidelined.

President Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino about U.S. striker Folarin Balogun's controversial red card and resulting suspension before soccer's governing body lifted the ban, a U.S. official tells Axios.

Why it matters: The reversal — and the White House's role in it — has become the biggest twist of this year's World Cup. That means Balogun is eligible for the knockout stage after his red card had threatened to sideline him.

This is JD Vance's summer: The vice president penned a bestselling book, helped broker a tentative peace deal with Iran, embarked on a media blitz and — most importantly for him — impressed the man in the Oval Office.

Why it matters: Vance's performances on TV, in polls and on the global chessboard underscore how — at least at this moment — the VP looks like President Trump's undisputed political heir if he runs in 2028.