Trump phoned FIFA, and Balogun's ban vanished. Quansah got no such call.

US President Trump admitted phoning FIFA's president over Folarin Balogun's automatic red-card ban. Days later FIFA used Article 27 to defer it, and Balogun played Belgium. England's Jarell Quansah, sent off in the same round, serves his ban in full. File a complaint on FIFA's own portal demanding it apply its rules equally and free of political interference.

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About this campaign

At the 2026 World Cup, United States forward Folarin Balogun was sent off against Bosnia and Herzegovina after a VAR review. Under Article 66 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, that carried an automatic one-match suspension for the Belgium tie.

Then US President Donald Trump publicly confirmed he telephoned FIFA President Gianni Infantino to ask for a review, saying he asked for a review because he did not think it was a foul. Within days, FIFA's Disciplinary Committee used Article 27 to suspend the implementation of Balogun's ban on a one-year probation, freeing him to face Belgium. FIFA did not overturn the red card. It deferred the ban. UEFA called it unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable, and said it crossed a red line. Belgium's challenge was rejected as inadmissible because Belgium was not a party to the proceedings, after hours to respond.

In the same round of the same tournament, England defender Jarell Quansah was sent off for a comparable VAR-confirmed challenge against Mexico. He is serving the standard automatic one-match ban. No Article 27 relief. No presidential phone call. A direct, like-for-like inconsistency.