Fifa release statement on Folarin Balogun’s overturned World Cup ban and hit back at Uefa over ‘crossed red line’ claim

DESPERATE Fifa are scrambling to avoid a legal threat to boot the USA out of the World Cup – by trying to justify the Folarin Balogun red card U-turn. The World Cup organizers have come under fire after the decision to let Balogun play in Monday’s last-16 game. USA striker Balogun was sent off against Bosnia in the round of 32 and looked set to miss the Belgium clash. But an intervention from President Donald Trump led to a Fifa U-turn. SunSport revealed how Belgium were ready to ask the Court of Arbitration for Sport to reverse the result if the Red Devils lost to a US team including Balogun in Seattle. Fortunately for Belgium, a Balogun-led USA were no match as the Europeans ran out 4-1 winners. READ MORE ON THE WORLD CUP Belgium, backed by Uefa and several European rivals, warned the US of the intention to take the matter all the way after the automatic one game game for Balogun was repealed. And that forced Fifa to issue a statement from its disciplinary committee which suggested it had the right to rip up the game’s rulebook. Fifa has been hit with a backlash – including claims from Uefa that it “crossed a line.” In the latest statement, Fifa hit back at Uefa and European associations who had condemned the Balogun and decision and backed Belgium’s stance. Most read in Sport One point read: “Reviewing the legal consequences of red cards in football is nothing new in the modern game. “For instance, in the majority of top-tier leagues belonging to UEFA-affiliated member associations – the overturning of red cards is a common disciplinary measure, yet this has never raised concerns about crossing any ‘red line’. “And again, it should be emphasised that in the decision under scrutiny, the red card was not overturned. How to watch the 2026 World Cup THE 2026 World Cup is finally here - and you can get some incredible deals to watch all the action. All 104 matches will be broadcast on Fox and FS1, and can be watched through a number of streaming services. We have all the places to watch the USMNT and the rest of the world fight it out this summer. *If you click on a link in this boxout we will earn affiliate revenue - Hulu + live TV: subscribe here for just $12.99 a month! - DirecTV: subscribe here from $84.99 a month! - Sling TV: subscribe here starting at $34.99 a month! “Suspending the effects of a red card based on an explicit provision of the applicable regulations is a much more balanced measure.” The statement also confirmed that Balogun was hit with a $40,000 fine – half of which is payable by US Soccer. Fifa also doubled down on the decision to suspend the red card for a year under article 27. The statement read: “Consistent with article 27 of the FDC, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend for a probationary period of one year the implementation of the automatic match suspension it imposed under article 66.4 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code and article 10.5 of the Regulations for the FIFA World Cup 26. “Said suspension of the implementation was decided considering all of the specific circumstances surrounding the incident and evidence available. “Under article 27 of the FDC, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has the discretion to suspend the implementation of any disciplinary measures so long as they do not relate to match manipulation—which, of course, did not occur here. “It should be added that employment of article 27 FDC is not unprecedented, as similar decisions have previously been issued during World Cup 2026 qualifiers.” Fifa also stressed that the disciplinary committee is separate from the governing body. The statement continued: “Firstly, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee (as any other FIFA judicial body) is independent as provided by the FIFA Statutes and the FIFA Disciplinary Code. “The chairpersons, deputy chairpersons and other members of the FIFA judicial bodies fulfil the independence criteria as defined in the FIFA Governance Regulations to ensure their impartiality. “Secondly, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee did not reverse the referee’s on-field sending-off of Mr. Balogun but rather the FIFA Disciplinary Committee upheld the one-game suspension of Mr. Balogun as a result of the red card he was shown during on July 1, 2026. “The FIFA Disciplinary Committee only decided on the further disciplinary sanctions to be imposed following the red card.”