Fifa has countered Uefa’s criticisms in an escalating verbal conflict regarding the decision to lift the suspension imposed on USA striker Folarin Balogun. The governing body accused Uefa of hypocrisy in its condemnation of the ruling.
In a statement attributed to Mohammad Al Kamali, chair of Fifa’s disciplinary committee, released prior to the USA’s round of 16 match against Belgium, Fifa asserted that “the overturning of red cards is a common disciplinary measure” in leagues affiliated with Uefa. Al Kamali emphasized that this practice has never previously raised issues regarding crossing any ‘red line’.
Fifa defended its contentious choice to revoke Balogun’s suspension, labeling it as “yet this has never raised concerns about crossing any ‘red line’” and not an unprecedented action in modern football.
Earlier, Uefa voiced strong disapproval in a statement on Monday, accusing Fifa of breaching “nothing new in the modern game” that jeopardized the integrity of the World Cup by allowing Balogun to participate against Belgium, despite regulations that dictate an automatic one-match suspension following a red card.
Balogun’s last-minute reprieve, following his dismissal during the USA’s last-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, is unprecedented for a World Cup and reportedly came after extensive lobbying from Donald Trump and other high-ranking officials in the White House.
“Reviewing the legal consequences of red cards in football is nothing new in the modern game,” Fifa maintained. “For example, in most top-tier leagues associated with Uefa, the overturning of red cards is a standard disciplinary action, yet this has never raised concerns about crossing any ‘red line’.
“For instance, in the majority of top-tier leagues belonging to Uefa-affiliated member associations the overturning of red cards is a common disciplinary measure, yet this has never raised concerns about crossing any ‘red line’. “And again, it should be emphasised that in the decision under scrutiny, the red card was not overturned. Suspending the effects of a red card based on an explicit provision of the applicable regulations is a much more balanced measure.”
While Al Kamali’s statement did not touch on Trump’s involvement, it clarified that the disciplinary committee functioned independently from Fifa’s executive branch, led by president Gianni Infantino.
Fifa had remained silent on the matter until Trump’s public statement, where he mentioned during a press conference at the Oval Office that he had reached out to Infantino to request a review of the red card.
Infantino later issued a statement asserting that he was uninformed about the disciplinary committee’s decision until it was made public. “The Fifa disciplinary committee (as any other Fifa judicial body) is independent as provided by the Fifa statutes and the Fifa disciplinary code,” he explained. “The chairpersons, deputy chairpersons and other members of the Fifa judicial bodies fulfil the independence criteria as defined in the Fifa governance regulations to ensure their impartiality. “Secondly, the Fifa disciplinary committee did not reverse the referee’s on-field sending-off of Mr Balogun but rather the Fifa disciplinary committee upheld the one-game suspension of Mr Balogun as a result of the red card he was shown on July 1, 2026. “Article 66.4 of the Fifa disciplinary code states that ‘a sending-off automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match’. Similarly, Article 10.5 of the regulations for the Fifa World Cup 26 provides that ‘if a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team’s subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed’. “Consistent with Article 27 of the FDC, the Fifa disciplinary committee decided to suspend for a probationary period of one year the implementation of the automatic match suspension it imposed under Article 66.4 of the Fifa disciplinary code and Article 10.5 of the regulations for the Fifa World Cup 26. Said suspension of the implementation was decided considering all of the specific circumstances surrounding the incident and evidence available. “Under Article 27 of the FDC, the Fifa disciplinary committee has the discretion to suspend the implementation of any disciplinary measures so long as they do not relate to match manipulation – which, of course, did not occur here. It should be added that employment of article 27 of the FDC is not unprecedented, as similar decisions have previously been issued during the Fifa World Cup 2026 qualifiers. “There are no provisions in the Fifa disciplinary code and the regulations for the Fifa World Cup 26 that prohibit the Fifa disciplinary committee from exercising its discretion under Article 27 of the Fifa disciplinary code. The exercise of such discretion is fully consistent with the general guiding principles for the determination of the applicable disciplinary sanction pursuant to Article 25 of the Fifa disciplinary code.”
The statement from Fifa reiterated that the committee did not reverse the match official’s decision to send off Balogun but upheld the one-match suspension resulting from the red card issued on July 1, 2026. Specific articles in the Fifa disciplinary code and World Cup regulations confirm that a sending-off automatically leads to suspension from the following match.
Furthermore, under Article 27 of the Fifa disciplinary code, the committee decided to suspend the enforcement of Balogun’s automatic suspension for a probationary period of one year, considering all specific circumstances surrounding the incident and available evidence. This discretion is permitted as long as it does not relate to match manipulation, which was not a factor in this case.
Belgium remains dissatisfied with Fifa’s ruling and is contemplating appealing the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
