F. Balogun
Monaco · MLS All-Star · Attacker · #9 · USA · 24 yrs
F. Balogun news
Folarin Balogun red card suspension reversal could lead to Norway complaint to FIFA
The handling of Folarin Balogun's red card and the decision to suspend his automatic ban could lead to Norway presenting a complaint to FIFA. The biggest controversy of the 2026 World Cup was clearly the incident involving Folarin Balogun, which could end with Norway presenting a formal complaint to FIFA’s ethics committee over the decision to suspend the ban after the USMNT forward received a straight red card, according to BBC Sport. The report suggests that the federation is now considering challenging the handling of the case, with president Lise Klaveness expected to seek the backing of the federation’s board before a possible complaint is submitted to FIFA’s ethics committee. Balogun was initially expected to miss the USMNT’s Round of 16 match, a 4-1 loss to Belgium, after being sent off during the victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, FIFA later suspended the ban after Donald Trump’s intervention, allowing him to play in the next match. Norway’s reaction to the Balogun decision BBC Sport also reports that the Norwegian Football Federation has expressed in a statement strong concern over the way FIFA handled the case, arguing that a direct red card should automatically lead to a one-match suspension. Balogun saw a red card but was not suspended (Michael Steele/Getty Images) This incident became a major controversy because the decision to suspend the ban was made without a public explanation beyond FIFA’s reference to a rule allowing the enforcement of a disciplinary sanction to be suspended. The Norwegian federation believes the case raises questions that go beyond Balogun, including the FIFA Peace Prize award handed to Trump when the World Cup draw was held in Washington, D.C. Belgium’s complaint Norway was not the main team affected by the suspension of Balogun’s ban, but its federation was one of those to raise concerns over the decision. The main team involved did submit an appeal asking FIFA to reconsider the ruling, but it was deemed inadmissible before the red card was ultimately rescinded. In response, the Belgian Royal Football Association had issued a statement criticizing the handling of the case: “The RBFA has still not received any grounds for this decision, nor has it received the information it has been requesting since the start of this procedure for a copy of the decision and the motivation declaring the player eligible as well as the referee’s report. Which is a breach of FIFA regulations.”
Norway considers filing Fifa ethics complaint over Trump role in World Cup red card saga
Norwegian federation president: Fifa on a ‘slippery slope’Trump called Infantino for review of Balogun’s redDonald Trump’s role in clearing Folarin Balogun from a mandatory one-game ban at the World Cup is set to provoke a formal complaint to Fifa ethics investigators.The Norway soccer federation said Thursday its board of directors will consider filing the complaint at its next meeting, likely on 6 August. Continue reading...
‘Infantino should leave, his time has come’, La Liga president Javier Tebas criticizes FIFA president
Javier Tebas was very critical with Gianni Infantino as the La Liga president wants him to leave. While there’s no denying that the World Cup was a huge commercial success, fans everywhere disliked the introduction of hydration breaks that were used for advertising. Among those angry about the direction the sport is going is La Liga president Javier Tebas, who criticized Gianni Infantino in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport. Tebas said: “Infantino should leave. His time has come. But he has the support of the system and the federations. There is no opposition candidate; nobody wants to run only to lose. In the United States, I have heard many people speak out against Infantino and say they disagree with what he is doing. They say it, but then they do nothing. I don’t know what is worse, silence or complicity, because those who remain silent are perfectly aware of the damage soccer is suffering.” This came as no surprise, with the president of La Liga criticizing the sport’s main governing bodies when he said: “The Super League decision gave FIFA and UEFA immense power, confirming their monopoly.” Tebas on the hydration breaks When the cooling breaks were introduced for the Club World Cup last year, everyone hoped they were just a trial. However, it became clear that, at least in the United States, the renamed hydration breaks were simply another way to show more commercials. Infantino wants to be reelected (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images) Tebas said: “FIFA organizes things as it pleases, for its own interests, not for soccer. So if they need a 27-minute break, they take one. Hydration breaks are a farce. We have them in La Liga, but only when it is very hot.” The president also described his experience: “Here, the stadiums in Dallas, Los Angeles and Atlanta had air conditioning. I had to put on a sweater in the stands. It was a farce, an advertising break.” Tebas on the Folarin Balogun case The main controversy of the competition involved the USMNT. When the USMNT were beating Bosnia and Herzegovina, Folarin Balogun was involved in an unfortunate play in which he received a red card after a VAR review. This was just the beginning, because FIFA did something unprecedented by rescinding the suspension and allowing him to play against Belgium. Tebas said: “It is an extremely serious matter: they were lucky that Belgium eliminated the United States, because otherwise they could have created a scandal that would have cost Infantino his job. Because Belgium won, they managed to bury the issue. But this is only the tip of the iceberg.”
Scandal-proof: why Infantino's Fifa power can't be touched – video
The biggest job in world football is up for election - and there’s just one candidate: Gianni Infantino, who is on course to be re-elected as Fifa president by a landslide in March.The Guardian understands more than 200 of Fifa's 211 member associations have already sent formal letters of support for a fourth Infantino term, with only a handful - Germany the most high-profile among them - yet to declare.The endorsements have flooded in despite a summer of controversy. Watch this video to learn more about why Infantino's power is so untouchable. Fifa has been approached for comment.Fifa boss unlikely to face IOC sanctions over Balogun red card scandalInfantino tells football fans to ‘chill’ in response to Fifa’s critics Continue reading...
Gianni Infantino unlikely to face IOC sanctions over Balogun red card scandal
Donald Trump spoke to Fifa president before ban liftedHuman rights body FairSquare sent complaint to IOCGianni Infantino is poised to escape without sanction after complaints he breached rules on political neutrality in his dealings with Donald Trump over the Folarin Balogun affair.The International Olympic Committee this week received a formal complaint from the human rights organisation FairSquare regarding Infantino’s conduct after Trump revealed he had called the Fifa president asking him to review Balogun’s ban from the USA’s last-16 tie against Belgium. The ban was subsequently suspended for 12 months after an unprecedented ruling from Fifa’s disciplinary committee. Continue reading...