Europe outraged after Trump intervention leads FIFA to scrap Balogun’s red-card ban

After Belgium challenged FIFA’s controversial decision to allow United States striker Folarin Bolagun to take the field against them in the Round of 16 clash in the ongoing World Cup in Seattle on Monday (July 6) despite seeing a red card, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has lashed out at the sport’s world governing body.

Former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter and England coach Thomas Tuchel also expressed disappointment over the decision, with the latter saying complete confusion prevailed over the disciplinary process at the mega tournament after the decision on Balogun.

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The European football-governing body called FIFA’s decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable” in a scathing statement issued on Monday, hours before the game.

Bolagun, one of the co-hosts’ most prolific scorers in the tournament with three goals so far, was sent off in the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the Round of 32 in Santa Clara, USA, on July 1 for committing a foul on opponent defender Tarik Muharemovic. According to the rules, the 25-year-old should sit out the match against Belgium.

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But FIFA on Sunday (5) decided not to enforce the suspension immediately, which means the US would get Bolagun’s services in the crunch game.

The body, which invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code, said in a statement that "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."

UEFA said the decision amounted to crossing the "red line".

'Integrity of game at stake'

The UEFA said in its statement that the automatic ban of one game “is not a discretionary option” but rather “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”.

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“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,” the statement read.

Garrincha exempted in 1962

In the 96-year history of the tournament, 188 red cards have been shown apart from the one against Bolagun and till date, only Garrincha escaped. It happened during the 1962 World Cup semifinal between Brazil and Chile, when the Brazilian had retaliated against fouls by Chilean players and saw a red card. But the winger found an exit route not only because the strict rule of automatic bans didn’t exist then, but also because heavy political influence was at play to ensure that the star player appeared in the final, which Brazil won.

Trump called FIFA chief over Bolagun

Bolagun’s case also has a political influence. The US player was reinstated after President Donald Trump spoke with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino last week and discussed the suspension, official sources confirmed.

On Sunday (July 5), he even thanked FIFA for “reversing a great injustice”.

Ex-FIFA chief warns against politicising football

Sepp Blatter, former FIFA president who Infantino replaced in 2016 following a corruption episode, said in a post on X that “football must never become a playground for political power”.

Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies. If a U.S. President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match — the question is unavoidable: Quo…

— Joseph S Blatter (@SeppBlatter) July 6, 2026

Tuchel’s surprise came after England’s Jarell Quansah was sent off during England’s 3-2 win over Mexico on Sunday. When he was asked whether he would also ask FIFA to revoke the defender’s ban before the quarterfinal against Norway in Miami on July 11, he said he was clueless about where things start and where they end now. He felt the intervention in Bolagun’s case had caused uncertainty over the rules.