All articles tagged with #fifa
Amid the Balogun red-card controversy at the 2026 World Cup, a White House official reaffirmed previous match-fixing allegations, saying discussions with U.S. Soccer and government officials reviewed past misconduct by the referee and supported a fair-play outcome, as UEFA condemned FIFA’s reversal and some U.S. lawmakers praised the decision.
FIFA has added an extra game to Jarell Quansah's red-card suspension, meaning the England defender will miss the World Cup semifinal if England advance (he was sent off against Mexico in the round of 16), leaving England short at right-back as they chase a semifinal spot.
FIFA’s 18-member disciplinary panel, chaired by Mohammad Al Kamali, operates largely in private and can rule alone, a setup critics say lacks transparency; its handling of Folarin Balogun’s one-match red-card ban—suspended after lobbying from President Donald Trump—plus historical decisions like Cristiano Ronaldo’s case, highlight questions about rule applications and the rarity of appeals, with many rulings never published publicly.
Morocco is leveraging a rising World Cup profile and a major stadium-building push to press its case for hosting the 2030 final (as part of a Spain-Portugal-Morocco bid), while navigating domestic protests over spent on football infrastructure and a web of related football-political stories including Hakimi’s legal case and Mbappé’s racism controversy.
Egyptian commentator Mohammed Nour claimed in a video that Israel and FIFA affected Egypt's 3-2 loss to Argentina, including unfounded assertions about Messi's ties to Israel and Yair Netanyahu; the article notes these claims are unsubstantiated and provides context, including Messi's 2013 visit to Israel and Israel's current FIFA-relations and travel restrictions.
EU lawmakers urge an investigation into FIFA President Gianni Infantino after FIFA lifted Balogun’s red-card suspension following a call from Donald Trump, arguing the mid-tournament rule change smacks of ethics violations and political influence; the live updates also address Hakimi’s rape case and the Mbappé racism row with a Paraguayan senator, plus the France–Morocco reconciliation and heightened security ahead of a World Cup quarterfinal.
FIFA’s chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina rejected claims that referees or VAR decisions in the Argentina–Egypt World Cup Round of 16 were influenced by outside pressures or Messi’s presence, stressing the integrity and independence of match officials. He explained VAR interventions, including disallowing Egypt’s second goal due to a foul in the build‑up (Marwan Attia on Lisandro Martínez) and clarified the APP (attacking possession phase) process. Despite Egyptian accusations of bias and late-penalty appeals, Collina insisted decisions are made independently, noting the late 92nd‑minute winner for Argentina by Enzo Fernández and defending the officiating decisions throughout the match.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is under renewed fire after the U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension was lifted, reportedly following a call from President Trump; the move has spurred a complaint from human-rights group FairSquare to the IOC over political neutrality, and about 35 European lawmakers are urging FIFA ethics authorities to investigate possible U.S. government pressure and other neutrality breaches amid talk Infantino favors Argentina in the World Cup.
FIFA refereeing chief Pierluigi Collina defended the officiating in Argentina's 3-2 comeback win over Egypt, rejecting bias allegations, saying officials acted independently and that VAR correctly overturned Mostafa Zico's goal and judged Salah–Alvarez contact as normal football play.
FIFA’s chief refereeing officer Pierluigi Collina defended the VAR decisions in the Egypt–Argentina World Cup 2026 match, saying VAR can intervene for fouls in the build-up even when not obvious and that there is no fixed distance or time limit for checks; he cited the Marwan Attia foul and asserted VAR’s guidance to referees aims for consistency, acknowledging some subjectivity but overall satisfaction with its application.
Egypt filed a formal FIFA complaint after a 3-2 defeat to Argentina in World Cup 2026, accusing officials of double standards and calling for the referee and his team to be removed; Cairo says a VAR decision disallowed an Egyptian goal and did not review a Salah challenge before Argentina’s stoppage-time winner, fueling online claims of bias toward Messi’s side amid controversy over an all-Argentine officiating crew for a later knockout match.
Tiffany Haddish roasted Donald Trump on Jimmy Kimmel Live over his push to have FIFA review a controversial World Cup red card, as the U.S. team’s run ended with a 4-1 loss to Belgium; Trump defended the review, Infantino defended FIFA’s independence, and Haddish is guest-hosting while Kimmel is on break.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan alleged that FIFA is helping Argentina stay in the World Cup, pointing to on-pitch refereeing and VAR decisions that disadvantaged Egypt after their Round of 16 loss to Argentina; Egypt’s federation demanded a thorough review and the removal of the refereeing team, as debates over Infantino’s neutrality continue.
Thierry Henry and Alexi Lalas argued on Fox Sports' World Cup coverage about FIFA’s handling of Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension for a red card against Bosnia, with Henry saying the decision was wrong and should have been decided on the field, while Lalas defended FIFA. The clash referenced Article 27 of FIFA’s disciplinary code and followed an alleged intervention by Donald Trump to urge a review, as the USMNT had just lost 4-1 to Belgium.
Eight teams reached the World Cup 2026 quarterfinals—France, Morocco, Norway, England, Spain, Belgium, Argentina and Switzerland—with France vs Morocco, Spain vs Belgium, Norway vs England, and Argentina vs Switzerland set to be played in the US. Off the field, Egypt accuses biased officiating after its defeat to Argentina, while FIFA faces renewed scrutiny over decisions including Balogun’s red-card suspension being overturned after a Trump intervention and a late VAR call that ruled out Egypt’s equalizer; two USA staff members were suspended ahead of the Belgium game.