World Cup 2026: UEFA hits out at FIFA decision to allow banned Folarin Balogun to play USA last-16 tie

UEFA says FIFA has "crossed a red line" and has put the "integrity of the game at stake" in allowing USA striker Folarin Balogun to play in their World Cup tie against Belgium on Tuesday.

Balogun, who has scored three times at this World Cup, was sent off after scoring the opener in USA's last-32 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina, when he caught Tarik Muharemovic with his studs in a challenge.

He was handed a one-match ban and was set to miss Tuesday's knockout game with Belgium.

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But FIFA stepped in to make Balogun available for the match.

The White House made a call to FIFA to ask president Gianni Infantino to review the red card, according to a person familiar with the call who spoke anonymously to The Associated Press.

In a statement, UEFA said: "Yesterday's decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line.

"Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not. A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted. It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension.

"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined. Equally, such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.

"Football is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because it is played everywhere with the same laws. A tournament is never a pure stand alone and, if the tournament in question is the World Cup, it has the power to drive positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole.

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."

The Belgian FA has said it is "astonished" by the decision and will be "investigating all potential options".

Former FIFA President Blatter slams Balogun decision

Taking to social media, former FIFA President Sepp Blatter also criticised the decision and asked where FIFA would go next following the decision.

Blatter, who ruled as president between 1998-2015, insisted that football could not become a "playground for political power."

"Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies," a post on Blatter's X account read.

"If a US President intervenes with the FIFA President - and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match - the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis (where are you going), FIFA?

"Football must never become a playground for political power."

Blatter's reign as FIFA president ended when he was banned from football for an initial eight years, reduced to six on appeal, in regard to a payment made to Michel Platini.

Both men were cleared in the Swiss courts of wrongdoing in regard to the payment, which they have always insisted was back payment for work Platini had done as an advisor to Blatter.

A further six-year suspension was imposed on Blatter by FIFA's ethics committee in 2021 in relation to other breaches of its ethics code.

'Where does this end?' - Tuchel reacts to Trump's call to FIFA to reinstate Balogun

England boss Thomas Tuchel had his say on the decision after Jarell Quansah was sent off against Mexico on Monday and is now set to face a one-match ban for the quarter-final against Norway.

In his post-match press conference, Tuchel said: "Where to draw the line? That's the question I ask and I have no answer to that - where does it end?

"Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card? Do we not think it's not a red card - where does it start and where does it end?"

When asked if Harry Kane could ask Trump to help get Quansah's red card overturned, he replied, somewhat ironically: "Maybe. That's a good start."

'I fully expected Balogun to get three-match ban'

Former Premier League referee Dermot Gallagher speaking on Sky Sports News:

"I was really surprised. I think it's a red card because it has endangered the safety of an opponent. I don't think for one second he meant to do it, but it's about consequence. If you catch someone on the Achilles with your studs, that's dangerous.

"The FIFA rules are very interesting because, once you're sent off, unless it's mistaken identity - which it clearly wasn't - you serve a minimum one-match ban and then it's upgraded according to the offence.

"I know for a fact, if this was in the Premier League, he's going to get a three-match ban. He can appeal as much as he wants, but it's not going to be overturned. That's what surprised me because I fully expected Balogun to get a three-match ban.

"I get it if they decide, our rules are for one match and then we decide to upgrade. The red card stands but the suspension doesn't, that's the confusing thing.

"I'm as confused as you are. Why they've decided to go down this road, I don't know.

"But, without doubt, once people get involved, like Thomas Tuchel, they will have to come out and explain why they have done this. It will be interesting, when a statement comes out, what we find out."

How Balogun benefited from the same rule as Ronaldo

FIFA's intervention to allow Balogun to play is similar to a move it made last year, which allowed Cristiano Ronaldo to play from the start of this World Cup.

The Portugal captain faced a three-game ban for an elbow on Republic of Ireland's Dara O'Shea during a World Cup qualifier. Ronaldo was set to be banned for the first two games of this World Cup as a result.

However, FIFA suspended the final two games of the ban.

FIFA cited article 27 of its rules in that case and again for Balogun. It allows FIFA to "fully or partially suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure."

In a statement on Balogun, FIFA said: "The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."

After the announcement, President Donald Trump posted on social media saying: "Thank you to FIFA for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice."

A social media account for The White House reposted Trump's message on X, adding the words: "USA-USA-USA".

(c) Sky Sports 2026: World Cup 2026: UEFA hits out at FIFA decision to allow banned Folarin Balogun to play USA last-16 tie