The Football Association are considering whether to appeal Jarell Quansah’s red card after England’s dramatic World Cup victory over Mexico, with FIFA’s controversial handling of Folarin Balogun’s suspension now casting a long shadow over the knockout stage.
Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute of England’s 3-2 win at the Azteca after a VAR review judged his challenge on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo worthy of a straight red card. The defender is currently expected to miss Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway, but the FA have not ruled out taking the case further. Internal talks are understood to be ongoing, with all options still open.
The FA are considering whether or not to appeal against Jarell Quansah’s (right) red card
USA striker Folarin Balogun (right) is controversially available for their quarter-final with Belgium, despite being sent off for this challenge against Bosnia-Herzegovina last week
The situation has become far more complicated because of the storm surrounding Balogun. The USA striker had been due to serve a one-match ban after being shown a straight red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina, only for FIFA to suspend that punishment following intervention from Donald Trump, who said he had spoken to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and asked for the incident to be reviewed.
Ian Wright believes the FA should try to appeal Quansah’s red card after the Balogun U-turn
That decision has triggered fury across the football world. UEFA described FIFA’s move as having crossed a red line, warning that the certainty of rules and the credibility of the competition had been undermined. Belgium challenged Balogun’s eligibility before their last-16 tie, but FIFA’s Appeal Committee ruled that the Belgian FA had no standing to appeal because it was not a party to the original disciplinary proceedings.
For England, the precedent has created an awkward question: if Balogun’s ban could be suspended, why should Quansah’s automatically stand? Gary Neville and Ian Wright both accepted that Quansah’s challenge was a red card, but argued that England should still test the system after FIFA opened what Wright called a Pandora’s box. Wright even joked that Keir Starmer should make a call, while suggesting other nations may now feel entitled to political help with disciplinary decisions.
Donald Trump called FIFA chief Gianni Infantino to ask him to suspend the one-match ban
Neville was even more direct, calling the matter interference at the highest level of power. Jurgen Klopp also criticised the episode, saying football should not be shaped by people who do not understand the game. Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has likewise warned that red cards should be dealt with through rules, evidence and independent bodies, not political pressure.
Infantino has insisted FIFA’s judicial bodies remain independent and that he merely explained the ongoing process during his conversation with Trump. But the controversy is not fading. With England preparing for Erling Haaland and Norway, the FA must now decide whether to challenge Quansah’s ban or accept a suspension that many believe has suddenly become part of a much bigger World Cup argument about fairness, power and the integrity of football.
