Tuchel criticizes FIFA over Balogun - how far does this go?

England coach Thomas Tuchel did not hide his frustration and confusion regarding FIFA's disciplinary process following the surprising decision not to punish Folarin Balogun. The United States striker, who was sent off in a game against Bosnia and Herzegovina, should have served a suspension in the round of 16 clash against Belgium, but FIFA chose not to apply the sanction immediately, allowing the co-hosts' top scorer to put on a show on the field. This decision raised several questions about the clarity and consistency of disciplinary rules at the World Cup. In an interview, Tuchel was perplexed by the situation: "Where does this start and where does it end now? Can we reverse this decision or not? What is happening?" The coach was referring to the fact that Jarell Quansah, also sent off in England's 3-2 victory over Mexico, could have his punishment reconsidered, something that would further complicate the situation. Both players were sent off following a VAR review, with Quansah becoming the 13th player to be sent off at the 2026 World Cup. Until then, everyone else, except Balogun, was suspended. FIFA invoked a clause in its disciplinary code that allows for "total or partial suspension of the implementation of a disciplinary measure", which contravenes tournament rules, which state that an expelled player "will automatically be suspended for his team's next match".  Tuchel highlighted that this intervention by FIFA, unprecedented since automatic punishments were introduced, created uncertainty about the tournament's rules. "To be very clear, Balogun did not deserve the red card," Tuchel said. "But VAR unanimously decided it was red, so the decision has been made. Who can reverse it and when? It's all very strange to me. We want consistency in decisions." The coach also raised questions about other cards, criticizing the uncertainty of VAR decisions: "The yellow card we got early on against Declan Rice... We can debate that forever. I don't think it was a card. What about Olise's card from France, which wasn't a card either? Where does it end? I don't know the rules. I'm the wrong person to ask. I'll wait and see what comes next." An interesting development in the situation was reported by CBS News, which reported that Balogun's reinstatement followed a call from US President Donald Trump to FIFA President Gianni Infantino on Thursday, where they discussed the suspension. Sources indicate that the US questioned the use of slow-motion replays in the VAR review. However, BBC Sport has been informed that VAR protocol was followed correctly. Tuchel emphasized the importance of VAR in his defense of Quansah: "In the game, there wasn't even a foul called, so the referee clearly thought it was a harsh but acceptable tackle. VAR made a decision and, as always, I saw the still image on the screen. You can't make decisions with a still image in a football game. That decision went against us and Jarell is, of course, very upset. It's disappointing, because we played a good game. For me, it wasn't enough for VAR to reverse the decision, as happened with the penalty. But that's okay, it is what it is." --- ## Related Articles 1.[Gianni Infantino'nun FIFA Başkanlığı ve Folarin Balogun Krizi](https://tophaber.com/haberler/gianni-infantino-nun-fifa-baskanl-g-ve-folarin-balogun-krizi) 2. [FIFA's Decision to Suspend Folarin Balogun's Red Card Sparks Controversy](https://bolanesiasports.com/id/news/decision-fifa-suspend-kartu-merah-folarin-balogun-sparking-kontroversi-di-piala-d)

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