2026 World Cup: Another Balogun Case on the Horizon—England’s Appeal

The lifting of the suspension imposed on U.S. forward Folarin Balogun has sent shockwaves through the 2026 World Cup. Following protests from UEFA, the Belgian Football Association, and many figures in the soccer world, U.S. President Donald Trump made a candid and proud admission, confirming that he had called Gianni Infantino directly. And the subsequent statement by the FIFA president was to no avail; his position could be at risk in the coming months.

The Balogun case has also set a precedent: now other national teams, including England and France, are demanding the same treatment. According to reports in the British media, the Football Association is considering filing an appeal regarding the red card shown to Jarrel Quansah, who was sent off during the round of 16 match against Mexico.

Under the rules, the player would not be eligible to play against Norway, but with the upheaval in the regulations, everything could change. According to ESPN, the FA is aiming to have him available for Saturday’s big match against Haaland and his teammates.

France is also considering an appeal: according to L’Equipe, the French team will file a request in the coming hours to have the yellow card shown to Olise in the match against Paraguay rescinded. Les Bleus want to avoid any risks and believe that, following the example of the Balogun case, the caution was wrongly issued and should therefore be rescinded. It’s a mess that FIFA will have to untangle in the coming hours.