Football: FIFA Suspension of World Cup Ban!
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
It has been reported that UEFA has criticised the FIFA decision not to uphold the immediate ban that was imposed upon the US striker Folarin Balogun, which means that their leading goalscorer will be available to play in the last 16 match against Belgium on 7 July 2026.
This follows an intervention between President Trump and the FIFA President, Gianni Infantino.
UEFA commented that an automatic suspension of one match "is not a discretionary option" but is "a principle embedded in regulations".
And added that:
"When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake, and the credibility of a competition is undermined. Equally, such a decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.
It will be very interesting to see what happens next!
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
