UEFA has strongly criticised FIFA over its decision to suspend the automatic one-match ban imposed on United States striker Folarin Balogun, describing the move as one that has “crossed a red line.”
In a strongly worded statement released on Monday, UEFA said FIFA’s decision to place Balogun’s suspension on a one-year probation during the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup undermines the integrity of football and sets a dangerous precedent for the competition.
Balogun was sent off during the United States’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina and was expected to serve the mandatory one-match suspension in the Round of 16 clash against Belgium.
However, FIFA ruled that the ban would instead be suspended for a year, making him eligible for selection.
Reacting to the decision, UEFA insisted that the automatic suspension following a red card is a fundamental principle of the game’s regulations and should not be subject to discretionary exceptions.
“Football relies on rules that ensure fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case, they are not,” UEFA said.
It added, “A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option. It is a principle embedded in the regulations and cannot be made subject to exceptions, especially in the middle of a tournament where other players have already served their suspensions.”
UEFA warned that failing to apply the rules consistently threatens the credibility of the World Cup and could force FIFA to treat similar disciplinary cases the same way for the remainder of the tournament.
“When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined,” the governing body stated.
It also cautioned that the decision had created an unwanted precedent that could negatively affect the ongoing competition and football globally.
Concluding its statement, UEFA said it viewed FIFA’s action as unprecedented and unacceptable.
“We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,” it said.
