World Cup
Former FIFA referees question different fates of Balogun, Quansah
FIFA’s handling of two World Cup red-card cases came under renewed scrutiny on Thursday after England defender Jarell Quansah got a two-match suspension while U.S. striker Folarin Balogun avoided an immediate ban for a similar challenge.
That has left former international referees unable to reconcile the two decisions.
Quansah was sent off in England’s last-16 victory over Mexico after a video review deemed his sliding studs-up challenge serious foul play. He was later handed a two-match ban that England’s Football Association said it could not appeal.
Balogun, by contrast, was sent off during the United States’ round-of-32 win over Bosnia but received a one-match suspension that world soccer’s governing body FIFA later suspended.
Balogun’s ban was suspended on probation for one year under Article 27 of the disciplinary code, FIFA said, although it has not publicly explained why it considered that sanction appropriate in his case.
The fact that U.S. President Donald Trump had personally urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review Balogun’s case only intensified the controversy, even though FIFA insisted the conversation played no part in its decision.
“FIFA have failed in their duty towards the game after they delayed the ban for Balogun. They allowed outside interference by the president,” former referee Keith Hackett wrote on social media on Thursday.
“FIFA, the major lawmaker are at fault. But both players committed Serious Foul Play challenges sanctioned by a red card.”
ROUGHLY EQUAL OFFENCES
Jonas Eriksson, who was a FIFA referee for 16 years from 2002, said if Balogun got a one-match suspension, Quansah should have as well, seeing their two on-field incidents were roughly equal in terms of intensity and aggression.
“What everyone wants from referees, they want the correct decisions, yes, but more important always is consistency,” Eriksson told Reuters.
“That you identify, okay, player A gets the same sanction as player B. Team A gets the same sanction as team B. You know, that’s what you expect. And this is not the case when it comes to Quansah and Balogun.”
British media quickly drew comparisons between the two cases, with The Independent running the headline: “FIFA confirms Jarell Quansah ban just days after Folarin Balogun reprieve.”
Eriksson said the subsequent suspension of Balogun’s match ban was never adequately explained, contributing to the furore.
Belgium unsuccessfully challenged Balogun’s eligibility before their round-of-16 victory over the United States, but FIFA has still not publicly explained why it decided to suspend the striker’s ban under Article 27.
“If you’re not able to communicate how they interpret the situation – was it an incorrect decision of the referee or was it the wrong application of the laws of the game – we don’t know,” said Eriksson, whose book “House of Cards” explores the “dirty game behind the game” for FIFA referees.
“It’s just for you and me and for everybody else to guess. But with that in mind, the red card for Quansah and the suspension is for me, just, it’s a mystery.”
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Spain will take a formidable historical advantage into their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final clash with Belgium as two of international football’s most consistent teams put lengthy unbeaten runs on the line.
La Roja have dominated recent meetings between the two European heavyweights, going unbeaten in their last 11 encounters against Belgium. The Spaniards have won nine of those matches and drawn two, including victories in each of the last five meetings.
Four of those five successive wins came during FIFA World Cup qualifying campaigns, underlining Spain’s ability to rise to the occasion whenever the Belgians stand in their way.
While history strongly favours Spain, current form suggests Friday’s showdown could be one of the most compelling contests of the tournament.
Spain arrive in the quarter-finals carrying an extraordinary 35-match unbeaten run in regular time. Their sequence of 26 victories and nine draws stretches back more than two years to a 1-0 friendly defeat by Colombia in London on March 22, 2024.
That remarkable consistency has helped establish Spain as one of the favourites for the title and has been built on a blend of defensive solidity, technical superiority and clinical finishing.
Belgium, however, have been equally difficult to beat.
The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last 18 matches, recording 12 wins and six draws since suffering a 3-1 defeat to Ukraine in the UEFA Nations League in March last year.
Led by the experienced Romelu Lukaku and a squad combining seasoned campaigners with emerging talent, Belgium have steadily rebuilt momentum and confidence after a difficult period, arriving at the World Cup quarter-finals as genuine contenders.
The statistics set up a fascinating battle between a Spain side that has repeatedly found answers against Belgium and a Belgian team that has rediscovered its resilience and winning habit.
For Spain, victory would extend both their dominance over Belgium and their remarkable unbeaten sequence. For Belgium, it represents an opportunity to break a frustrating head-to-head trend and end one of international football’s longest-running unbeaten records.
Something will have to give when the two unbeaten runs collide, with a coveted place in the World Cup semi-finals awaiting the winner.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
England defender Jarell Quansah has been suspended for two matches by FIFA following his dismissal during the Three Lions’ FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 clash against Mexico.
The FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced on Friday that Quansah was sanctioned for breaching Article 14 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code after receiving a direct red card in England’s dramatic 3-2 victory over the hosts at Mexico City Stadium on July 5.
In a statement, FIFA confirmed that the Liverpool centre-back will serve a two-match suspension in England’s forthcoming World Cup fixtures in accordance with Article 69 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.
The punishment means Quansah will miss England’s quarter-final encounter against Norway as well as a potential semi-final should the Three Lions progress.
The suspension comes as a setback for England manager, who must now reshuffle his defensive options at a crucial stage of the tournament. Quansah had been expected to play a key role in England’s bid to reach the last four.
England booked their place in the quarter-finals after edging Mexico 3-2 in a pulsating contest in front of a packed crowd in the Mexican capital. However, Quansah’s sending-off cast a shadow over the victory and has now resulted in a significant disciplinary sanction from world football’s governing body.
With the World Cup entering its decisive phase, England will have to continue their campaign without one of their defensive regulars as they seek to advance.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Africa’s final hope at the FIFA World Cup 2026 came to an end on Thursday night as France defeated Morocco 2-0 in a quarter-final clash powered by two players whose roots trace back to the African continent.
Captain Kylian Mbappe and winger Ousmane Dembele scored the goals that sent France into a third consecutive World Cup semi-final and ended Morocco’s spirited campaign as the last African team standing in the tournament.
Mbappe, whose family origins are in Cameroon and Algeria, broke the deadlock on the hour mark with a trademark curled effort from just inside the penalty area. Six minutes later, Dembele, whose mother has Mauritanian-Senegalese heritage and whose father is from Mali, sealed the victory with a low drive that left Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou with no chance.
The result carried a symbolic twist for African football followers. The two players who extinguished Morocco’s hopes are themselves products of the vast African diaspora that has long enriched French football.
Morocco had entered the match hoping to build on the historic achievement that saw them become the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final at Qatar 2022. Instead, they found themselves undone by a French side brimming with experience, quality and attacking firepower.
Mbappe could have put France ahead much earlier. The 27-year-old was awarded a penalty in the 28th minute, but Bounou produced a superb save to keep the Atlas Lions level. The miss only delayed the inevitable, however, as the French captain eventually found his range in the second half.
His breakthrough goal was not without controversy. Replays appeared to show a French player handling the ball during the build-up before possession eventually reached Mbappe, who curled home from just inside the area in the 60th minute. Moroccan players protested, but neither the referee nor the Video Assistant Referee intervened.
France captain Kylian Mbappe celebrates after curling home the opening goal in his side’s 2-0 victory over Morocco in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on July 9, 2026. The strike was Mbappe’s eighth goal of the tournament and his 20th in World Cup finals matches. REUTERS/Brian Snyder.
The incident immediately drew comparisons with Morocco’s fellow African side Egypt, whose goal against Argentina in the Round of 16 was disallowed after VAR detected a foul earlier in the counter-attacking sequence. The contrasting outcomes are likely to fuel debate about consistency in the application of the laws and the use of VAR at the tournament.
France’s Ousmane Dembele celebrates after scoring the second goal that sealed a 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on July 9, 2026. The win sent France into a third consecutive World Cup semi-final and ended Morocco’s run as Africa’s last remaining representative. REUTERS/Mike Segar.
Mbappe’s strike was his eighth goal of the tournament and further strengthened his reputation as one of the greatest World Cup performers of his generation. It also took his tally to a remarkable 20 goals in just 20 World Cup final appearances.
The French captain now draws level with Lionel Messi in the race for the tournament’s Golden Boot and sits just one goal behind the Argentine on the World Cup’s all-time scoring chart.
For France, the victory keeps alive their quest for another world title and extends an era of remarkable consistency on football’s biggest stage. Having reached the final in both 2018 and 2022, Les Bleus are now only one match away from a third consecutive World Cup final appearance.
Their semi-final opponents will emerge from the quarter-final between Spain and Belgium. Regardless of the outcome of that encounter, Europe is already guaranteed one place in the World Cup final on July 19.
For Morocco, defeat marks the end of another memorable campaign that once again showcased the growing strength of African football. While the Atlas Lions could not replicate their historic run to the last four in Qatar, their presence among the final eight teams reaffirmed Africa’s growing ability to compete with the traditional powers of world football.
On a night when African dreams were extinguished in Boston, it was two stars of African heritage who illuminated the stage and carried France one step closer to football immortality.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
History Favours Spain as Unbeaten Giants Collide with Belgium in World Cup Quarter-final
Former FIFA referees question different fates of Balogun, Quansah
England’s Quansah Handed Two-Match Ban by FIFA After Red Card Against Mexico
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
NIGERIAN FOOTBALL CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SANUSI CHARGES NIGERIAN COACHES TO BE UPRIGHT, DILIGENT
- World Cup1 week ago
What a Load of Rubbish! How Senegal Threw Away a World Cup Dream
- World Cup4 days ago
Bizarre! FIFA makes U-turn to clear Balogun for US v Belgium World Cup clash following call from Trump
- World Cup1 week ago
Celebrating a Decade of World Cup Coverage: A Tribute to Kunle Solaja
- World Cup3 days ago
The Handwritten Note That Changed My Life: Remembering MKO Abiola, The Patron Saint of Nigerian Sports
- World Cup1 week ago
Cry for Africa, My Beloved Continent: How four decades of World Cup heartbreak continue to haunt African football
- World Cup6 days ago
Pharaohs End World Cup Knockout Hoodoo, Beat Australia on Penalties to Reach Last 16
- World Cup1 week ago
Mbappe Double Fires France into Last 16 as Sweden Swept Aside
- World Cup4 days ago
Article 27: The Little-Known FIFA Rule Behind Balogun’s World Cup Reprieve