06 Jul 2026 02:33:21
To chime in to the FIFA corruption issue - the truth is it shouldn’t have come to require someone like Trump even getting involved. It was a stupid path to (in my biased American opinion) the obvious right decision.
The fact that VAR reviewed that and gave a red card (clear and obvious) is laughable.
Not defending FIFA at all - I think it was the right decision made for the wrong reason. And I’ve seen few that agreed it was a red card.
06 Jul 2026 04:27:20
That doesn't matter, TJ, the rules are there and should be obeyed.
You can't have an American politician (and I use that word in its loosest term) having an impact on whether an American player gets a ban; it's about as corrupt as it gets.
It's an absolute disgrace regardless whether it's the correct decision or not.
06 Jul 2026 04:55:12
Honestly, there needs to be an independent investigation into FIFA, because they are second only to the World Boxing Council (WBC) in terms of their corruption.
06 Jul 2026 06:12:30
It sets a dangerous precedent, it's one rule for some and a different rule for others. If the exact same circumstances had happened to Cape Verde, Tunisia etc, nothing would have happened. FIFA are bending the rules to benefit the home nation and are doing it because they are being pressured to by the President.
06 Jul 2026 06:27:40
Does Quansah get his ban suspended for the next 12 months now?
No, it won't be. Double standards because one is the host nations and the leaders of the US and FIFA are as corrupt as they come.
06 Jul 2026 07:00:41
I'm sorry to my American friends. But, I wasn't too into Internationals anymore. This World Cup in the States has sealed that. I have never seen football turned into such a farce (my opinion). They've taken everything about football and turned it into a show rather than a sports match (again, my opinion).
I'm starting to worry that the game I love so much is getting damaged on every stage it gets played on.
I'm just waiting for the guy to say it was the best tournament ever held in the entire galaxy.
06 Jul 2026 08:15:34
If there was any credibility left, they would throw the USA out just for Trump picking up the phone.
The idea that it is even tolerated is insane.
Belgium should refuse to play - just for the sheer embarrassment it would cause FIFA and Infantino.
06 Jul 2026 08:28:39
Isn't there a FIFA law that says if politicians get involved in footballing matters, then the country can be banned from FIFA competitions?
{Ed025's Note - if theres not then there should be JLC..
06 Jul 2026 09:01:11
Sports washing at its finest.
06 Jul 2026 10:21:36
You guys should really relax. It wasn't even close to being a red card. This is just stupid. Quansah's tackle was a red all day, so there is the difference!
06 Jul 2026 10:16:44
All trump had to do was tell infantino if u don't suspend balugon ban ill instruct the fbi to re investigate fifa corruption including infantino himself
06 Jul 2026 11:05:01
No Arne, nobody should be "relaxing" about this.
Any direct political involvement in sporting matters should not be tolerated or allowed in any way, shape, or form. Especially when it comes to overturning decisions you don't agree with.
06 Jul 2026 10:58:24
It doesn't matter if you don't think it was a red card. The VAR and then the referee thought it was a red card. They are officiating the game, not the President of the US.
You can't play the Orange card because you don't like the red card.
Perhaps the Belgium squad should storm the White House if they don't like the result.
06 Jul 2026 11:32:19
Guys, the fact that Infantino even took the call from Dump and tried to engineer this nonsense, should tell you how deep Infantino is in the Dumpster's pockets.
N btw, Dump does this all the time. He makes calls to people randomly who are in positions of power with the the U.S structure for favors esp. when it interests him. He got impeached in 2019 for doing something exactly like this and has never stopped because his ego is taht humongous.
Also, anyone telling the rest of us to relax needs to go take a day off because clearly, you are not paying attention and have no idea the blow-back this has caused and the U.S team didn't need any of this.
06 Jul 2026 12:27:58
Relax Oli, lol it's just football, mate.
{Ed025's Note - but its certainly not Cricket ASB.. :)
06 Jul 2026 12:55:08
Let's call it as it is - cheating.
{Ed025's Note - absolutely Ron..
06 Jul 2026 13:36:39
Asb, yeah mate, let's just relax and not worry about the way the game is headed. I mean, I won't complain when the game is split into 4 quarters, and I, for sure, won't mind politicians getting involved.
... Just let sport be sport so us rabble can enjoy it.
On a side note, it's good to see other footballing bodies and ex members of said body voicing out against it. So there is hope. :)
06 Jul 2026 14:03:14
ArneSlotsBarber, mate, you are free to "relax" and "chill" about blatant corruption.
Just don't tell others to do the same. That part, you do not get to do.
06 Jul 2026 14:07:27
It's Trump's world, and we're just living in it until he sods off in a couple of years' time. I thought USA would have appealed the red card and got it rescinded in a different way, because it was in no way a red card, just a very awkward landing.
I don't think football will change because of this World Cup, again blowing things out of proportion in my opinion.
06 Jul 2026 15:14:08
Make America Great Again
06 Jul 2026 15:56:03
I disagree, accidental or not, it's still a red card because it seriously endangers a player's safety. The system doesn't measure intent, it measures what happens, and the challenge very clearly was dangerous.
If the rules were based on what players intended to do, they would all just claim every event was an accident, and there would be no red cards ever.
On the subject of suspending a punishment, that should never be done mid tournament and should never be done because the president of the host nation asked for it.
Be honest, Arne, if it was Iran Vs USA, and FIFA had allowed an Iranian player to skip his ban, you wouldn't be arguing in favour of it, you'd be calling corruption - because it is.
06 Jul 2026 16:42:40
@ASB, it may or may not have been a sending off offence, but that's not the issue. There may or may not have been recourse for the USA to appeal the decision, but that's not the issue either.
The issue is that the Secretary of State decided to interfere, using his political office to interfere with the running of the game, swiftly followed by the President of America calling the head of FIFA to interfere in a sporting event.
It's all well and good saying it's not worth bothering, he'll be gone soon, it's just a game, but it isn't.
Trump has proved it isn't by having a word with Gianni and then telling the world about it. He belittles the stature of the Presidency on a regular basis, usually blissfully aware that the role itself, not the person fulfilling the role, is what is important, but he's also, along with Infantino (for different reasons) has belittled football.
06 Jul 2026 17:22:41
So who here is going to stop watching the World Cup? If you're not turning it off, aren't you complicit? Knowing how corrupt FIFA is going into this, why did you start watching to begin with?
Nevada, completely disagree. They were battling for position and it was a coming together of players - it wasn't reckless nor intentional, and the system doesn't only measure "what happens".
And yes, if the card and the way VAR handled the replay was BS (arguably corrupt) to begin with, I'd be fine with any player, regardless of their nation, being allowed to skip the ban.
I'm not condoning politics getting involved, although it's a bit naive to think politics isn't already involved, but the moaning on here is ridiculous. It's like people who eat McDonald's everyday and complain about why they can't lose weight. You know FIFA (and Trump) are corrupt but just want to complain rather than do something about it... until you turn off the tele, you don't really have a leg to stand on.
06 Jul 2026 19:02:15
I've noticed English commentary teams referring to 'turn-overs' when the opposition gets the ball off an attacker, and use of 'quarters' after the advertising break, sorry, hydration break.
That countdown s*** at the start is also just stupid.
06 Jul 2026 23:46:25
So, RedMob, if you're looking at things in that way, are you happy that your electric bill will be going up again? But, at the same time, they are reporting that in the right weather conditions it's going to waste and not be used, while then charging you more.
If you don't agree with it, stop using electric. Do you agree with all the huge companies that are getting away with not paying tax? Hope you're not using them. Do you fully support Standard Chartered? Hope you're not watching us play.
07 Jul 2026 14:56:36
West, not sure you grasped my point so let me make it clearer... Stop whining about things when you're doing nothing to change them.
I don't moan about my electric bill (which is a bit of an apples to oranges comparison, but I digress) nor am I whining about our sponsors or companies that don't pay tax.
I don't give 2 shts about either. If you do, then do something about it.
Most people don't want to change because it's hard and uncomfortable and requires sacrifice, and that's fine, but you don't also get to complain about it.