European governing body says ruling undermines fairness and football regulations
UEFA has issued an official statement strongly criticising FIFA's decision to overturn the suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, İdman.Biz reports.
The European governing body objected to the ruling that allows Balogun to play against Belgium despite having originally received a red card during the United States' 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.
"This year's decision has crossed every acceptable line," UEFA said in its statement.
"Football, like every other sport, is built on rules that guarantee fair, transparent and honest competition.
"Rules can sometimes be interpreted differently, but not in this case. An automatic one-match suspension following a red card does not require any additional decision by a competent body. It is a principle clearly established in the tournament regulations and cannot be waived during the competition. Moreover, other players who have found themselves in identical situations have served their suspensions according to the rules.
"Football is the world's most popular sport because it is played under the same rules everywhere. Such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unfounded decision has left us astonished."
The controversy began after FIFA replaced Balogun's mandatory one-match suspension with a one-year suspended disciplinary sanction, making the striker available for the United States' Round-of-16 clash with Belgium.
The decision has generated widespread debate throughout the football world, with several prominent figures, including former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp, also questioning reports that political pressure may have influenced the outcome. FIFA has not officially commented on those allegations.
