FIFA has suspended two US Soccer staff members from their team's World Cup match against Belgium on Monday following an alleged violation of match protocols.
Team manager Sam Zapatka and vice-president of security Frank Pannell were barred from attending the fixture, according to a report by The Guardian.
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The football governing body has not disclosed an official reason for the disciplinary action.
However, the sanctions are understood to be related to unauthorized individuals gaining access to restricted areas rather than any physical altercations.
Disciplinary measures may have originated from an earlier incident where forward Folarin Balogun returned to the pitch to celebrate a 2-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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Balogun had received a red card during that match, which contractually bars players from re-entering the field.
US Soccer noted that the disciplinary action was entirely separate from their administrative efforts to overturn Balogun's red card suspension.
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Zapatka has served as team manager since 2020, while Pannell is a former Secret Service and CIA operative.
