Fifa Fires Back at Uefa in Balogun Red Card Dispute
Fifa has accused Uefa of hypocrisy in its fierce criticism of the decision to lift USA striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension, arguing that suspending the effects of a red card is a standard disciplinary tool already used across Uefa-affiliated leagues.
According to The Guardian, a statement attributed to Mohammad Al Kamali, chair of Fifa’s disciplinary committee, was published ahead of the USA’s last-16 defeat by Belgium. In it, Al Kamali pointed out that “the overturning of red cards is a common disciplinary measure” in leagues linked to Uefa, and questioned why that had “never raised concerns about crossing any ‘red line’” until now.
Uefa had used notably strong language earlier in the week, accusing Fifa of crossing precisely such a red line by permitting Balogun to face Belgium despite competition rules that state a red card carries an automatic one-match ban. The row erupted after Balogun was sent off during the USA’s last-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, with his ban then lifted in extraordinary circumstances following reported lobbying from Donald Trump and other White House officials.
Fifa’s statement was careful to draw a technical distinction: the red card itself was not overturned. Instead, the disciplinary committee used Article 27 of Fifa’s disciplinary code to suspend the implementation of the automatic ban for a probationary period of one year. Fifa argued this provision is not unprecedented and has been used during World Cup 2026 qualifying.
On the politically charged question of Trump’s involvement, Al Kamali’s statement sidestepped it directly but emphasised that Fifa’s judicial bodies are independent under Fifa statutes and governance regulations. President Gianni Infantino had separately issued a statement denying personal involvement in the decision, after Trump told reporters at the Oval Office that he had personally called Infantino to request a review.
For those following the tournament closely via our World Cup 2026 hub and live standings, it is worth noting that the controversy is now largely academic in sporting terms — the USA lost to Belgium and are out of the competition. Whether the institutional fallout between Fifa and Uefa has longer-term consequences for how red cards and disciplinary appeals are handled in future tournaments remains to be seen.
What is clear is that the episode has exposed a significant rift between football’s two most powerful governing bodies at the most high-profile moment in the sport’s calendar.