Fifa has hit back at Uefa in the war of words over the lifting of the USA striker Folarin Balogun’s suspension by accusing it of hypocrisy in its condemnation of the decision.
- Fifa argues overturning red cards is common in Uefa leagues and suspending a red card's effects for Folarin Balogun was balanced.
- Uefa said red line was crossed, accusing Fifa of undermining World Cup integrity by allowing Folarin Balogun to play.
- Lobbying by Donald Trump led Fifa to stress disciplinary committee independence; Belgium may appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
In a statement attributed to the chair of Fifa’s disciplinary committee, Mohammad Al Kamali, published before the USA’s last-16 defeat by Belgium, Fifa insisted that “the overturning of red cards is a common disciplinary measure” in Uefa-affiliated leagues, “yet this has never raised concerns about crossing any ‘red line’”.
Fifa’s statement defended the controversial decision to lift Balogun’s ban, describing it as “a balanced measure” and “nothing new in the modern game”.
Uefa accused Fifa in a strongly worded statement on Monday of crossing “a red line” that undermined the integrity of the World Cup by permitting Balogun to play against Belgium despite the competition’s rules stating that red cards trigger an automatic one-match suspension.
Balogun’s 11th-hour reprieve after he was sent off in the USA’s last-32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina is unprecedented in a World Cup, and followed repeated lobbying of Fifa from Donald Trump and other senior White House officials.
“Reviewing the legal consequences of red cards in football is nothing new in the modern game,” Fifa said. “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.”
The statement from Al Kamali did not address Trump’s role, but said the disciplinary committee had acted independently of its executive, which is led by the president, Gianni Infantino.
Fifa had been silent on the issue since announcing Balogun would be available to face Belgium until Trump went public with his involvement, telling a press conference at the Oval Office that he had called Infantino asking for the red card to be reviewed.
Infantino subsequently issued a statement insisting he was not involved in the decision before Fifa published comments from Al Kamali which attempted to clarify the process.
“The Fifa disciplinary committee (as any other Fifa judicial body) is independent as provided by the Fifa statutes and the Fifa disciplinary code,” the statement said. “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.”
Infantino had claimed earlier that he was unaware of the disciplinary committee’s decision until after it had been published.
“I read the decisions of the Fifa disciplinary code when they are issued,” he said. “Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.”
Belgium remain angry with Fifa’s decision and are considering taking the matter to the court of arbitration for sport.
