FIFA, the governing body that oversees a $5B+ World Cup revenue machine, is facing a credibility test that should feel familiar to anyone who’s watched crypto regulation unfold over the past decade. The question at the center: do the rules apply equally to everyone, or can political influence rewrite them on the fly?
England’s Football Association is considering an appeal after defender Jarell Quansah was sent off during the World Cup 2026 round-of-16 match against Mexico on July 5. The red card, reviewed and confirmed by VAR technology, was classified as serious foul play. Under normal circumstances, that’s the end of the conversation. But these aren’t normal circumstances.
The precedent that changed everything
FIFA recently suspended the red card ban of USMNT striker Folarin Balogun. The reversal reportedly came after intervention from US President Donald Trump, which is roughly the equivalent of a regulator rewriting enforcement guidelines because a senator made a phone call.
Quansah, who plays his club football at Bayer Leverkusen, was dismissed in the 54th minute of the Mexico match. His one-match suspension means he’d miss England’s quarter-final against Norway, and potentially additional games depending on how the disciplinary process unfolds.
