2026 World Cup: Farewell to the tournament organizers
Of the three countries hosting the World Cup, two had already given up hope of lifting the most coveted trophy in recent days: First, it was Canada’s turn to be eliminated from the competition, overwhelmed by a Moroccan team that was in a different league compared to Jonathan David and his teammates, and then Mexico, knocked out by England and star striker Harry Kane.
Despite the “macumbe”—and probably something more—from Donald Trump and Gianni Infantino, the United States met the same fate, getting trounced right before the eyes of the FIFA president by a Belgium team led by a rampant Charles De Ketelaere, who scored twice in the first half alone: The final score was 4-1 for the team coached by Rudi Garcia, which will now face Spain in the quarterfinals—a stage of the tournament that has long been a taboo for the three North American teams. Not a great showing, it must be said.
The sensational reprieve granted by FIFA to Folarin Balogun—the U.S. forward who had been sent off in the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina for a tackle on Muharemovic and was supposed to serve an automatic one-game suspension—proved to be of no use. Instead, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee decided to suspend the sanction by applying Article 27 of its Disciplinary Code—an unprecedented move in World Cup history that sparked a diplomatic and sporting uproar. Balogun therefore took the field against Belgium, but it wasn’t enough: the Red Devils overwhelmed them anyway.
The match, played in Seattle, saw Belgium dominate from the very start. Timothy Castagne had already rattled American goalkeeper Freese with a spectacular chance before De Ketelaere opened the scoring. The United States briefly tied the game with a free kick by Malik Tillman, but Belgium’s response was immediate, with De Ketelaere scoring twice. In the second half, Hans Vanaken capitalized on a major mistake by the American goalkeeper off an assist from De Ketelaere to make it 3-1, before Romelu Lukaku sealed the victory in the closing minutes. Also worth noting was Christian Pulisic’s injury; he was limping noticeably and was forced to leave the field early.
Meanwhile, the Balogun case risks turning into a veritable Pandora’s box for FIFA. Following protests from UEFA, the Belgian Football Association, and numerous figures in the soccer world, the decision has set a dangerous precedent: both England and France have announced their intention to file similar appeals. The Football Association is reportedly considering challenging the red card received by Jarrel Quansah during the round of 16 match against Mexico, with the aim of having him available for the quarterfinal against Haaland’s Norway. Les Bleus, for their part, have reportedly already sent FIFA a formal request to overturn the yellow card Olise received against Paraguay.
Even Sepp Blatter, former FIFA president, has added fuel to the fire, sparing no criticism of his successor Infantino on social media: “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence, and independent bodies. If a U.S. president intervenes with the FIFA president, and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match, the question is inevitable: Quo vadis, FIFA?” These are harsh words, adding to the chorus of criticism from those who see soccer as a field increasingly exposed to political pressure.
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