Blatter accuses Fifa of bowing to political pressure after Balogun red card overturned

Fifa is under intense scrutiny after overturning a red card suspension for United States striker Folarin Balogun ahead of the World Cup last-16 clash against Belgium, with former president Sepp Blatter alleging the decision was driven by “political phone calls” rather than rules or evidence.

Fifa confirmed on Sunday that Balogun’s one-match ban — incurred during the last-32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina — had been suspended for a year, clearing him to face Belgium on Monday. US President Donald Trump welcomed the ruling, and reports emerged of pressure from the American government, though Fifa and the White House’s World Cup Task Force had yet to comment on claims of governmental intervention.

Blatter, whose own Fifa presidency ended in 2015, was unsparing in his criticism on X. “Red cards are not overturned by political phone calls. They are overturned by rules, evidence and independent bodies,” he wrote. He went further, adding: “If a US President intervenes with the FIFA President — and a player is suddenly cleared before a World Cup knockout match — the question is unavoidable: Quo vadis, FIFA? Football must never become a playground for political power.”

The Belgian football association (RBFA) expressed “astonishment” at the reversal and confirmed it was “investigating all potential options.” Reports on Monday indicated the RBFA had lodged a formal appeal against the ruling, with a 1pm UK time deadline to submit documents. Fifa had not confirmed whether it granted the RBFA leave to appeal.

The decision drew sharp reactions from coaches on both sides of the bracket. Belgium head coach Rudi Garcia likened the situation to an April Fool’s Day joke, while England manager Thomas Tuchel described it as “strange” and raised broader concerns about consistency.

“Who overturns this decision and when and on what grounds? And how far does this go now?” Tuchel said. “It’s just strange for me. We just want to have consistency in the decisions.”

Blatter’s credibility as a critic is complicated by his own record at Fifa’s helm. His presidency ended after he received an initial eight-year ban — later reduced to six — over a payment to Michel Platini, though both men were subsequently cleared in Swiss courts. A further six-year suspension was imposed by Fifa’s ethics committee in 2021 for separate breaches. Nevertheless, his intervention reflects the depth of unease within football’s establishment over how the Balogun ruling was reached and communicated.