2026 World Cup: New revelations about Folarin Balogun's red card

The controversy surrounding Folarin Balogun continues to fuel debate several days after the 2026 World Cup. While FIFA had allowed the US striker to play in the round of 16 against Belgium despite his expulsion against Bosnia-Herzegovina, new revelations from the British press are shedding harsh light on the behind-the-scenes of this controversial decision.

The United States, co-hosts of the World Cup, saw their run end in the round of 16 after a heavy defeat against Belgium (4-1). Before this match, however, attention had been focused on the presence of Folarin Balogun. Sent off in the previous game, the AS Monaco striker was ultimately allowed to play, sparking a wave of criticism and numerous questions about the process that led to this decision.

The affair took on a political dimension when Donald Trump admitted to having intervened with FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The American president explained that he had requested a review of the footage, believing that Balogun did not deserve his red card. He maintained, however, that he had not directly demanded the suspension be overturned.

Faced with suspicions of interference, FIFA quickly defended its independence, stating that the decision had been made in accordance with its disciplinary procedures and without outside influence. This explanation, however, failed to quell the criticism.

According to information published Sunday by The Times, the actual workings of this procedure were quite different. The British daily revealed that while FIFA's disciplinary committee did meet to examine the case, the lifting of the suspension ultimately rested on the decision of a single individual: Mohammad Al Kamali, chairman of the committee.

This revelation reignites questions about the workings of FIFA's disciplinary body. The organization had previously explained that it had applied Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code to overturn the sanction imposed on the American striker.

The contrast is all the more striking given that, during the tournament, the French Football Federation had requested a review of the yellow card received by Michael Olise during the match against Paraguay. Unlike the Balogun case, this request was rejected by FIFA, further fueling accusations of unequal treatment of different disciplinary cases during the competition.