UEFA and the Belgian Football Association have issued strong condemnations against FIFA following its decision to delay the automatic red card suspension of United States forward Folarin Balogun ahead of a World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium.
The European football governing body expressed deep shock over the ruling, stating it undermined the fundamental principles of fair and transparent competition.
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"This decision crossed a red line. Football, like all sports, relies on rules that ensure fair, honest, and transparent competition.
Sometimes rules are open to interpretation, but not in this case," UEFA said in a statement.
"The automatic one-match ban following a red card is not an optional measure and does not require a decision from any authority.
This unprecedented, incomprehensible, and unjustifiable decision has left us in disbelief."
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The Belgian Football Association also protested the ruling, citing specific tournament regulations that mandate immediate disciplinary action after a direct or indirect expulsion.
"Article 66.4 of the tournament regulations clearly states that a red card results in an automatic suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards during the World Cup," the Belgian federation said.
"If a player or team official is sent off due to a direct or indirect red card, they will be automatically suspended for the team's next match.
Additional sanctions may also apply."
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The controversy comes as the 2026 World Cup quarterfinal matchups are being determined.
