Tuchel criticises Fifa over Balogun - where does this end?

England manager Thomas Tuchel has criticised FIFA over its decision not to suspend United States striker Folarin Balogun following a red card, calling the situation "total confusion" and questioning where the disciplinary process ends. Balogun was sent off against Bosnia-Herzegovina but FIFA opted not to enforce an immediate suspension, making him available for the last-16 tie against Belgium. The BBC's US media partner CBS News confirmed that Balogun's reinstatement came after US President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss the suspension. Tuchel, whose own player Jarell Quansah received a red card in England's win over Mexico, questioned whether he should also petition FIFA. "Where does this start and where does this end now?" Tuchel asked. "Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What's going on?" Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter also criticised the intervention, writing on X that "red cards are not overturned by political phone calls" and that "football must never become a playground for political power." FIFA enacted a clause in its disciplinary code allowing it to suspend the implementation of a disciplinary measure, contradicting tournament regulations that state a red card results in an automatic suspension.