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Quansah sent off, banned
England defender Jarell Quansah was given a two-match ban after a red card in England’s World Cup last-16 victory over Mexico, with the sanction confirmed on Thursday for serious foul play.
“Fifa announced the sanction on Thursday, saying it was for serious foul play.”
Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute after a high challenge on Mexico left-back Jesus Gallardo, following a VAR review that led the referee to the pitch-side monitor and consideration of slow-motion replays and freeze-frames.
The ban means Quansah will miss England’s quarter-final against Norway in Miami on Saturday and a potential semi-final if England advance.
The BBC said Quansah, 23, will be available if England reach the final in New Jersey on 19 July, while The Guardian said the decision left Thomas Tuchel “devastated” as he weighs right-back options.
With Reece James missing the last three matches due to a hamstring injury and Djed Spence positioned as a possible choice, England’s right-back situation tightened as the tournament moves into the latter stages.
Tuchel protests process
Thomas Tuchel said he was “very upset” about the process that led to Quansah’s red card, arguing that “it was not even given a foul” before VAR intervened.
The BBC reported that the Football Association was considering whether to appeal but that “there is no avenue to contest the ban,” while also saying the FA made “very strong representations” to FIFA over the process that reached the Quansah decision.
Bukayo Saka told reporters that the ban was “incredibly frustrating for us, and for him,” and added: “It is what it is, we are not here to complain, we are here to adapt and to pick a team that is ready to beat Norway,” as England prepared for Norway.
The Guardian said Tuchel was unhappy at the processes that led to the red card, noting that referee Alireza Faghani did not award a free-kick but reached his decision after being called to the monitor by the video assistant referee.
The BBC also quoted Tuchel’s assistant coach Anthony Barry saying the news was “disappointing” because “we lose a good player for two games,” while the decision itself was not the issue for the staff.
Consistency and next matches
FIFA’s disciplinary framework left England unable to appeal the red card outcome at the World Cup, and the BBC said the ban complicates matters for head coach Thomas Tuchel at right-back as Quansah filled in against Mexico while Reece James was injured.
“FIFA confirmed in a statement on Thursday, two days before England’s quarter-final against Norway”
The BBC reported that FIFA appointed French referee Clement Turpin, who took charge of England’s 4-2 win over Croatia, to officiate the Norway game, while also stating that Quansah’s ban would be served in the upcoming match(es) of England in the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The New York Times said FIFA confirmed in a statement on Thursday that Quansah would also be banned for his country’s semi-final if England advanced, citing the suspension being served in accordance with art. 69 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
The BBC linked the severity of Quansah’s punishment to a broader question of consistency, saying it showed a further inconsistency with the treatment of United States forward Folarin Balogun, who was sent off for serious foul play against Bosnia-Herzegovina but received a one-match ban suspended for 12 months.
As England take on Norway in the quarter-final in Miami, the immediate stakes for Tuchel’s squad hinge on who can cover right-back, with the BBC noting that Djed Spence was only used as a substitute after a minor fitness issue and that Tuchel expected Reece James to be available after his hamstring injury.
