UEFA says FIFA’s decision to let Folarin Balogun play at World Cup is ‘incomprehensible’

UEFA strongly criticised FIFA for allowing United States Folarin Balogun to play against Belgium football team despite receiving a red card in his previous match.

UEFA called the decision “incomprehensible and unjustifiable,” saying FIFA “crossed a red line” by not enforcing the automatic one-game suspension. FIFA instead deferred the ban for one year on probation, a move that sparked widespread criticism from football figures and commentators.

UEFA insisted: “Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not.”

“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,” said the European soccer body.

“We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision,” said UEFA.

The Belgian Football Association was preparing an urgent appeal in Seattle to challenge FIFA’s decision allowing Folarin Balogun to play despite a red card.

The appeal was set to be heard by a FIFA-appointed judge ahead of the Round of 16 match against the United States.

Balogun was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Bosnia-Herzegovina defender Tarik Muharemovic in the USA’s 2–0 win.

While such fouls usually lead to a two-match ban, similar incidents involving stars like Lionel Messi, Achraf Hakimi, and Bernardo Silva have not always been punished consistently.

“I think a yellow card would have been fair,” Balogun later suggested.

This World Cup has seen criticism of FIFA for changing disciplinary norms, with suggestions of interference in its judicial processes. A key example was Cristiano Ronaldo, who was allowed to play in Portugal’s opening World Cup match despite a red card in a qualifier against Ireland for an elbow incident. Although he served a one-match suspension, FIFA applied a probation system that reduced the impact of a likely longer ban, drawing further scrutiny over consistency in disciplinary decisions.

FIFA has faced criticism for inconsistent disciplinary decisions, with some players receiving immediate bans while others were allowed probation or delayed suspensions.

Themba Zwane served a full three-match ban, while players like Moisés Caicedo, Nicolás Otamendi, and Tarek Salman were permitted to postpone suspensions. This has raised concerns about fairness and consistency in tournament rules.

“It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions,” UEFA said, “let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension.”