06 Jul 2026 10:17:46
Just regards Balogun's red card -
FIFA has not overturned Folarin Balogun's red card.
FIFA had previously indicated there was no appeal available against the automatic one-match suspension that follows.
Instead, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee used Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code to suspend enforcement of the ban, placing Balogun on a one-year probationary period.
The red card remains on his record, but the sanction has been suspended, allowing him to play against Belgium.
Article 27 contains no published conditions, criteria, or test that must be met before a sanction can be suspended.
It simply gives FIFA's judicial bodies the discretion to do so.
So put two and two together and you get with what most people are landing on - corruption.
06 Jul 2026 10:43:13
Infantino gets off on doing this so directly.
06 Jul 2026 11:14:01
The fact that Trump supposedly called Infantino about it is what makes this diabolical.
Put any other world leader into this scenario, and the media would be spitting feathers. Imagine if Putin pulled a trick like this in the Russia World Cup?
Yes, it may seem a small thing, but you just know who will score tonight.
So they have indirectly affected the game.
Can't wait for them to be knocked out, only for some rule to appear to reinstate them. Honestly, as football fans we shouldn't let this lie. This is simply money and brown envelopes, and the power has well and truly gone to Infantino's head!
06 Jul 2026 11:13:14
Faith, the fact that Infantina actually took the call from Dump, only tealls the world about how deep Infantino is in his (Dump's) pocket.
We all knew Infantino was currupt and imbedded in Dump's worldview. We did not know he was in this deep. That to me, is the breaking news here.
06 Jul 2026 11:42:35
From what I know of FIFA's discretion, it tends to work better if the request is followed by a couple of holdalls stuffed with used non sequential £50 notes.
06 Jul 2026 11:31:45
Jesus the pearl clutching on here is wild! Just enjoy the world cup man.
Trump is far too busy with crypto scams, insider trading and endorsing a genocide in the middle east, I doubt he has time to ring some guy at FIFA to get a player he's never heard of to play in the next game.
06 Jul 2026 11:36:58
Trump just has to ruin everything
06 Jul 2026 12:52:48
Trump or any world leader can say what they want, but FIFA should have the balls to say "stay in your lane, this is our party".
I'm angry at FIFA for this.
06 Jul 2026 13:04:03
FIFA is one of the dodgiest organisations in the world, seen the documentary on called FIFA Uncovered on Netflix. Blatter, Bruce Buck and Jack Warner, to name just 3 of the dodgy squad... corruption right through the organisation. Shows you how France gave the vote to Qatar, you then bought millions worth of planes n oh yeah bought PSG also.
06 Jul 2026 13:17:33
It didn't start there. It started decades earlier with Havelange. And he was president for 24 years, 6 World Cups. The culture of corruption is firmly ingrained. It's not going anywhere.
06 Jul 2026 13:17:56
I just posted this info after reading various comments about the legitimacy of the red card. Which wasn't at the heart of this decision by FIFA.
06 Jul 2026 14:01:08
Stromsgodset, PSG's acquisition by the Qatari government was signed off by the Sarkozy administration, who was in charge at the time.
So anyone saying they don't want politics meddling with football or sports in general should essentially stop watching these sports entirely and keep it moving and find other means of entertainment. I propose the WWE.
06 Jul 2026 14:24:02
The last four World Cups were in Qatar, Russia, Brazil, and South Africa, and somehow this one is by far the most corrupt one of them all.
06 Jul 2026 14:28:35
AAR91, We are all capable of enjoying the WC while being rightfully outraged about the absolute ship show in front of us with the relentlessly corrupt version of FIFA org. and in the WH.
Secondly, you are clearly and severely uninformed about the Dumpster fire in the WH if you think for one second that this is his first rodeo when it comes this specific MO when it comes to his corruption.
Just so you know, Dump did the exact same thing multiple times in his bid to steal the 20/20 elections by calling elected officials in the states he lost to Biden to "see what can be done about making Biden's victory go away". Just saying.
06 Jul 2026 15:27:16
Oh dear Oli the TDS sure has a hold of you, lighten up buddy.
I'm sure Trump has much bigger things to worry about, like the upcoming midterms and a humiliating escapade in Iran. I doubt he knows who Mr Balogun is. Anyway let's get back to football.
{Ed001's Note - well he knew who he was enough to tweet about him and how he had got his red card suspended.}
06 Jul 2026 15:45:33
Is it within the rules to suspend the implementation of a punishment? Yes.
Is it within ethics to do that in the middle of a knockout stage for an instance of red card which nobody has disagreed with? Absolutely not.
FIFA now has to suspend everyone's red cards for 1 year, no reason why they shouldnt. It's always been a corrupt organisation but it at least tried to be corrupt in the shadows before. Most corrupt world cup ever in the most corrupt version of the USA ever headed by the most corrupt president ever.
What's worse is if USA win the world cup now (unlikely but still) then absolutely nobody will accept it as a valid win and everyone will assume it was bought and paid for.
06 Jul 2026 15:46:14
If America get to the final and it goes to a shootout Trump will probably ask if they can use AR15's.
06 Jul 2026 16:17:28
The game, at the highest levels, is corrupt. It's that simple.
Part of me is pleased that Balogun can play. I'd like to see the Americans play the best team they have when they get beaten, and Trump and Rubio and the FIFA lapdog, Infantino, won't have any pathetic excuse for losing.
06 Jul 2026 16:36:06
Did anyone hear Trump? He said 'I know Sports really well. Really, really well. I was a great athlete' ?? When?? ? He's so full of sh!t that guy honestly.
He would be great for comedy value if his decisions didn't have such far reaching, serious, disastrous consequences for so many people. The lunatics have definitely taken over the asylum.
Then he goes on to say how it's unfair to ban a player for a game that hasn't happened yet.
It's the rules! It has been the rules for decades yet Trump comes in having never even watched a football match until 2 weeks ago and says it's unfair and FIFA bend over backwards to accommodate him?
He even admitted he had no idea what a red card meant yet this is the guy FIFA want to listen to? It really does beggar belief.
It must be embarrassing to be an American right now with a man like that representing your country. I feel sorry for all of you.
06 Jul 2026 17:13:18
He is a first class ? end, of that there is no doubt but hey millions of Americans voted for him ?♂️
06 Jul 2026 17:15:33
Why all the hate for Trump on here, a British football website? , a record number of Americans voted for him, let's look closer to home eh, we have the most odious man ever to be PM, we can't fly a flag in our own country without being called everything under the sun, bfr that we had the Tories all lining their own pockets, but let's call a man 5000 miles away
06 Jul 2026 17:21:01
"Oh dear Oli the TDS sure has a hold of you, lighten up buddy."
TDS is not a thing, mate. You just outed yourself as a MAGA mark, buddy.
Sucks to be you.
06 Jul 2026 17:32:58
Aaar91 you are applying logic to Donald Trump. Should he have bigger things to worry about? Yes. Should he be contacting the fifa president about a decision? 100% no. But did he do it, absolutely.
It might seem negligible in the grand scheme of things but that's what's got the world in this state. Allowing these morons to do as they please, as it's only 'Donald trump' and he will eventually go away. By not calling it out you basically allow it and there should be no room for corruption in our sport which unfortunately is all I can label this.
06 Jul 2026 18:08:16
Infantino is a servile character. He gave Trump a conveniently created "peace award" for stopping eight wars. He is just a spineless, arse licking lackey.
06 Jul 2026 18:07:43
WYred, I propose you enjoy the WC and have a hell of a time during your summer holiday rather than try to apply logic to a guy who repeats Maga talking points.
06 Jul 2026 18:38:42
"Why all the hate for Trump on here, a British football website? "
Firstly, Trump is a colossal bell end. If you can't see that, no matter where you on the political spectrum, it's your problem.
The fact many Americans would happily vote for that only shows how far America has fallen. Trump is the ultimate "ends justify the means" and is a sad state of western society generally, which is going the same here. It doesn't matter how "our side wins" so long as "our side wins". How many Brits are still going to happily vote for Farage, despite him being a lying dangerous grifter who if he got any further away from the common man he may as live on the moon.
As for the hate specifically now - Trump has essentially just stood there and bragged how he completely ran through sporting integrity and left in the bin to get the decision he wants to give his country the best sporting chance. If that doesn't bother you on any level then there's not much I can say.
This whole situation is a disgrace.
06 Jul 2026 18:59:10
Wassa, I'm sure he is gutted that you think that way. The Americans know more about their country than you or all the other.
{Ed001's Note - Americans know little about anything in the main. If they knew anything about anything, Trump would never have won the first time, let alone a second time as well.}
06 Jul 2026 19:37:35
By the way, if the USA team had any morals whatsoever, then they wouldn't play Balogun and show some common decency to the WC and the game in general. I doubt that'll happen tho, win at any cost and fek everyone else!
{Ed025's Note - if he does play Irish Infantino has to go mate..
06 Jul 2026 19:32:05
Strom
You don't need to be an American mate to listen to what Trump says or how he treats other countries and statesmen. Greenland for one example. The guy is a tosser mate
06 Jul 2026 16:04:43
Well I stand corrected Ed1, I guess Trump is a soccer fan after all, what a crazy world we live in. Its all set up for Balogun to get the winner tonight then.
{Ed001's Note - hardly crazy, he spent a lot of time in Scotland and it is well known he loves sports.}
06 Jul 2026 18:59:04
AAR91 said: "Trump is far too busy with crypto scams, insider trading and endorsing a genocide in the middle east, I doubt he has time to ring some guy at FIFA to get a player he's never heard of to play in the next game."
Have you seen his social media rubbish? He involves himself in everything because it's all about him and looking good for his people.
There's a part of me thinks Mexico got knocked out last night because he hates Mexicans.
There's part of me thinks it's being orchestrated the England meet the US in the final, as it's there 250th celebrations, and the money buys them a win.
I need to stay away from conspiracy sites.
06 Jul 2026 20:10:21
To be honest Stroms as inconsequential as I may be - given he's proven time and again he is a narcissist with an ego so fragile a mouse fart could shatter it, I think he would be pretty unhappy to be called a colossal bell end.
06 Jul 2026 21:58:23
I am American and hate the orange turd with every fiber of my being. By not means do most of us if the know like how the red was "delayed" but it was bad call to begin with. I know two wrongs don't make a right, but we all saw Messi's hack job on game one without any repercussion. We've seen a handful of dirty plays from a few particular South American teams and some blatant racism acts, by players, on the pitch. And nothing. We saw Olise get a yellow for absolutely no reason other than a complete acting job by the paraguayan dirtbag. You English got to see the grace of Mexican players and fans. So maybe I'm on a rant here, but the bottom line is they should have some mechanism to review and rescind cards.
As Liverpool fans, let's think back 2 years ago when we got a handful of ridiculous reds (I'm thinking Diogos phantom 2nd yellow, cujos foot over the ball, etc). And just for the record, probably a significant majority of people in the USA that watch this beautiful game are not the people who vote conservative We love the game! We love the international flavor, we respect cultural differences, we hate infantino, we hate how the iranians were treated at the this WC, etc. We have a pretty likable team and a good fan base (albeit our chants are embarrassing). By no means do you have to cheer for us but I hope we're not judged by the orange turd and all the other crap going on in our country
06 Jul 2026 23:03:40
ED001, you forgot about the time when they fiddled the votes in, so Slow Joe Biden got instead of Trump for his 2nd term.now i agree that the know nothing if they let, well let's face it a man who got told what to do n say n could barely remember it
{Ed001's Note - they didn't fiddle the votes. You are embarrassing yourself.}
07 Jul 2026 00:03:22
Anyway, the FA have asked FIFA to review Quansah's red card.
Precedent set.
07 Jul 2026 02:34:39
I'm an American, and the delay of the suspension is a really bad look. I guess the "Peace Prize" carried certain privileges?
06 Jul 2026 23:48:00
@Strom, President Trump, is the leader of one of the one of the most powerful nations on earth. Do you not find it incredible should take time out of his daily calendar of events to phone his mate at FIFA to strong arm him into invoke a clause that hasn't been used in living memory? Shouldn't he be trying to extricate himself from the mess he's got himself into in the Middle East where he ha his friend from Israel are indiscriminately killing people - mostly innocent people by the way. Politics and, in this case, a rank amateur, self absorbed multiple faced, narcissistic bully, and sport are separate and the fact the the cretin actually went to press to say he'd spoken to Infantino was just a sad publicity stunt to convince the incredibly, incredibly, incredibly dumb that he is making America great.
Sorry, time for another tablet, but words fail me.
07 Jul 2026 07:19:20
America need Starmer. Now there's a man a nation can be proud of