England’s Jarell Quansah has been handed a two-match ban during the 2026 International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) World Cup in North and Central America. This stands in stark contrast to U.S. player Folarin Balogun, whose suspension was deferred for a year following a phone call from former President Donald Trump.
FIFA announced on Friday that Quansah would face an additional one-match suspension for violating Article 14 of FIFA’s Code of Conduct during England’s Round of 16 clash with Mexico on July 5.
The incident in question saw Quansah step on an opponent’s foot with his studs during a challenge.
As a result, Quansah will miss two matches in total – one for the direct red card and another for the additional suspension. England would need to reach the final for Quansah to be eligible to play again in this tournament.
In a similar incident, Balogun was sent off for a comparable foul against Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, his red card was postponed after President Trump reportedly made a complaint call to FIFA.
This decision allowed Balogun, a key striker for the U.S. team, to participate fully in their Round of 16 match against Belgium.
The disparity in treatment between these two similar incidents has sparked controversy, with international media questioning the fairness of FIFA’s decisions.
The BBC reported that the one-year postponement of a red card is unusual, but it’s particularly shocking that it resulted from a presidential intervention. They added that meanwhile, Quansah is sidelined for two matches, and England has no recourse to appeal this decision.
Japanese sports outlet Soccer King criticized FIFA’s handling of the situation, stating that the only difference between Quansah and Balogun’s cases is whether or not the president made a phone call.
