England were furious as Quansah’s red card ban reignited a row over FIFA’s consistency
England’s World Cup preparations have been dealt another blow after Jarell Quansah was handed a two-match ban, a decision that reignited questions about FIFA’s disciplinary rigor following Folarin Balogun’s controversial suspension at the start of the tournament. The Liverpool defender will now miss England’s quarter-final against Norway and a potential semi-final if Thomas Tuchel moves on.
The ban left England players frustrated and former FIFA referees confused, with many asking why two seemingly similar red card incidents resulted in vastly different punishments.
Quansah was sent off against Mexico after a VAR review. (Photo: Reuters)
Quansah was sent off during England’s dramatic round of 16 win over Mexico after a VAR review, he upgraded his sliding stud challenge to serious foul play. FIFA later imposed an automatic two-match suspension, with the Football Association confirming there was no way to appeal the decision.
The contrast with the Balogun case only intensified the debate. The United States forward was also sent off for a serious foul during his team’s win over Bosnia, initially given a one-match ban before FIFA suspended the probationary ban for one year under Article 27 of its disciplinary code.
FIFA has yet to publicly explain why Balogun’s punishment was reduced despite Belgium unsuccessfully challenging his eligibility ahead of the round of 16. Controversy grew further after US President Donald Trump publicly called on FIFA president Gianni Infantino to review Balogun’s case, although FIFA insisted the conversation played no role in the final decision.
FORMER REFEREE QUESTION OF FIFA CONSISTENCY
The various punishments have drawn criticism from several former referees who believe that FIFA has failed to consistently apply its disciplinary code.
Former FIFA referee Jonas Eriksson admitted he did not understand how the two cases were treated differently.
“What everyone wants from the referees, they want the right decisions, yes, but consistency is always more important,” Eriksson told Reuters.
“Player A gets the same sanction as Player B. Team A gets the same sanction as Team B. That’s what you expect. And that’s not the case with Quansah and Balogun.” Balogun was shown red against Bosnia but the ban was lifted. (Photo: Reuters)
Eriksson also questioned FIFA’s lack of transparency regarding Balogun’s suspended ban.
“If you’re not able to communicate how they’re interpreting the situation … we don’t know,” he said.
“It’s up to you and me and everyone else to guess. But with that in mind, the red card for Quansah and the suspension is just a mystery to me.”
Former Premier League referee Keith Hackett was even more critical, accusing FIFA of allowing outside influence.
“FIFA has failed in its duty to the game after suspending Balogun’s ban. It has allowed outside interference from the president,” Hackett wrote on social media.
“But both players committed Serious Foul Play challenges sanctified by the red card.”
ENGLAND FOCUS ON NORWAY
In the England camp, however, attention has already shifted towards coping without Quansah.
Bukayo Saka admitted the team was disappointed with the verdict but insisted there was no point dwelling on it.
“I just found out it’s a two-game ban, which is incredibly frustrating for us and for him,” Saka said.
“But that’s the way it is. We’re not here to complain, we just have to adapt and pick a team that’s ready to beat Norway.”
When asked if he thought Quansah was treated differently than Balogun, Saka refused to be drawn into the controversy.
“Actually, I don’t know what to say. I have no comment on that. It was FIFA’s decision,” he said.
“This decision to focus on ourselves is frustrating for us. But we have to adapt and deal with it.”
Defender Nico O’Reilly echoed the sentiment, admitting Quansah’s absence was a significant loss, while insisting England cannot afford to dwell on the setback.
“Yeah, of course, it’s sad,” O’Reilly said. “There’s no appeal or anything, so we have to get down to it now. I’m sure I feel sorry for him, too.”
England now head into Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway with one option to defend and fresh questions hanging over FIFA’s disciplinary process. While the debate surrounding Quansah and Balogun is unlikely to go away any time soon, Tuchel’s side know they must move on quickly as they prepare to face Erling Haaland and a Norway side chasing a historic place in the World Cup semi-finals.
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
10 Jul 2026 05:43 IST