MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JULY 5: England’s Jarrell Quansah #26 reacts after receiving a red card for a tackle on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo #23 during the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 16 match between Mexico and England at Mexico City Stadium on July 5, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo credit: Joosep Martinson – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) (Image: FIFA, Getty Images)
FA officials are “considering options” regarding Jarrell Quansah’s red card following FIFA’s controversial U-turn over the sending off of US striker Folarin Balogun during last week’s game against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The England defender was given a single red against Mexico and was ruled out of Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has expressed his displeasure with the decision, but there is no direct appeal process at this World Cup.
But the FA saw Folarin Balogun’s one-match ban extended to 12 months following President Trump’s intervention.
England would need to present a convincing case for the ban to be lifted, but that seemed highly unlikely until FIFA became involved in the Balogun situation.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO – JULY 5: Jarel Quansah (26) of England is red carded for tackling Jesus Gallardo (23) of Mexico during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match between Mexico and England at Mexico Stadium (Estadio Azteca) on July 5, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo: Juancho Torres/Anadolu via Getty) (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
But now a precedent has been set for other countries to pursue a similar path. That is why the FA is considering further action.
Quansah was given his marching orders following a VAR review for a tackle on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo during Sunday’s match.
The defender is currently serving a one-match suspension and will miss Saturday’s quarter-final match against Norway.
Reflecting on Quansah’s sending off, former England internationals Gary Neville and Ian Wright agreed that the red card was justified, but suggested the FA should challenge it given Balogun’s comeback.
“(Quansar) is a red, but now people are subverting it, so I think it should still be challenged,” Wright said on the Stick to Football podcast.
President Trump confirms he has contacted FIFA to reconsider red card (Image: AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
“If you look at Balogun’s game, he didn’t go into the game to break his ankle, he just played it clumsily.
“I think Quansah went over the ball a little bit, but why can’t England do that because they’ve opened a Pandora’s box like he (Balogun) was able to escape with?
“I think Keir Starmer will make a phone call, I think (France’s Emmanuel) Macron will make a phone call for Michael Olisset (who was scheduled for France’s World Cup win against Paraguay). Make a phone call.”
President Trump acknowledged on Monday that he had personally asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to “review” Balogun’s World Cup red card.
He said, “I saw the play…It (Balogun’s challenge) was not a foul, it was not a violation. It was an accidental collision between two guys running at full speed.”
“These two great players got involved and this referee, who is a bit questionable if you look at his past, made a decision that no one could believe. He (Balogun) has done nothing wrong, he is our best player, or one of our best players… and he (the referee) gave him a red card.
“It’s very unfair. You can’t do that. So, yes, I asked FIFA to review it. I spoke to a very respected man (Infantino) and by the way, his level of respect has increased tenfold.”
“If we lose this game (against Belgium) (without Balogun), it will leave a big scar.
“No matter what happens, you have to have the best players (in your team). And the game (against Belgium) is going to be great. And we’re going to play with a full team and Belgium are going to play with a full team. And guess what? If (Belgium) beat us, they can be really proud.”
“On the other hand, if they beat us (with Balogun’s suspension), we would say it was rigged… Just like there was rigging in the 2020 election, we would say there was rigging, but we won’t go into that.”
Balogun’s red card caused controversy (Image: Getty Images)
Hours before the Round of 16 match between the United States and Belgium, FIFA released a lengthy statement from its disciplinary committee confirming that Balogun had been fined $40,000 in connection with the red card incident.
The statement confirmed that Balogun’s one-match suspension for his red card will be postponed for one year.
The disciplinary committee revealed that Balogun was being investigated by FIFA for two separate violations. One was the ejection itself, and then he reentered the field to celebrate with his American teammates “despite the ejection.”
It remains unclear whether the fine relates to the first or second violation.
