European football’s governing body UEFA on Monday criticised FIFA for allowing United States forward Folarin Balogun to play in Tuesday’s (IST) FIFA World Cup round-of-16 match against Belgium despite receiving a red card in the previous game.In a statement, UEFA called FIFA’s move an “incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision” and said the world body had “crossed a red line.”“Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not,” UEFA said, adding “the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined.”“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,” UEFA said in its statement.Folarin Balogun’s one-game ban was surprisingly suspended by FIFA on Sunday, clearing the American forward to play in the team’s World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium, a decision that was praised by US President Donald Trump and promoted outrage from the Red Devils.News agency Assosiated Press later reported that US President Donald Trump personally intervened to help Balogun get the suspension lifted.Balogun, who has scored three goals in the tournament for the United States, was shown a red card after stepping on the right ankle of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Tarik Muharemovic during the USA’s 2-0 win in the round of 32 on Wednesday. A red card triggers an automatic one-game suspension.FIFA, however, decided to suspend the punishment.“The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year,” FIFA announced. “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.”The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it was “astonished.”“The decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations,” it said in a statement. “In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.”Belgium coach Rudi Garcia mocked FIFA’s action.“I didn’t know that in the offices of FIFA the 5th of July was the 1st of April in Europe,” Garcia said through a translator in an April Fools’ Day comparison.
