Balogun's red card sparks debate as World Cup refereeing faces criticism

While FIFA's Laws of the Game may technically justify the dismissal, comparisons with several similar incidents earlier in the tournament have left many questioning the rules.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage has produced spectacular football, dramatic comebacks and unforgettable moments. Yet, once again, one of the tournament's biggest storylines has nothing to do with goals.

 

Instead, it revolves around officiating. Folarin Balogun's controversial red card during the United States' Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina has reopened an increasingly familiar debate around the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), player safety and, above all, consistency.

 

While FIFA's Laws of the Game may technically justify the dismissal, comparisons with several similar incidents earlier in the tournament have left many questioning whether identical challenges are being judged by identical standards.

 

The incident that changed the game

 

The turning point arrived shortly after the hour mark. Chasing a long pass down the left flank, Balogun attempted to shield the ball while Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemovic stepped across his path. As Balogun landed, his trailing boot raked down Muharemovic's calf before making contact with his ankle. Initially, referee Raphael Claus allowed play to continue.

 

Moments later, VAR recommended an on-field review. After studying multiple slow-motion replays, Claus returned with a straight red card, announcing inside Levi's Stadium that Balogun had committed a "serious foul".

 

The Arsenal striker looked visibly distraught as teammates attempted to console him while he walked off.

 

Ironically, Balogun had earlier given the United States the lead before Malik Tillman's late free-kick sealed a 2-0 victory despite the numerical disadvantage. The win booked a last-16 meeting with Belgium. Balogun, however, will miss it through suspension.

Why the referee showed red

 

From a purely legal standpoint, the decision aligns with IFAB's Laws of the Game.

 

Law 12 states: "A tackle or challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality must be sanctioned as serious foul play."

 

It further explains: "Any player who lunges at an opponent... using one or both legs, with excessive force or endangers the safety of an opponent is guilty of serious foul play." FIFA's disciplinary regulations are equally straightforward.

 

A direct red card automatically results in a one-match suspension, while FIFA's disciplinary committee retains the authority to extend that punishment if deemed necessary.

 

The laws, therefore, leave little room for procedural argument. The controversy instead lies in interpretation. 

 

Slow motion changes everything

 

Former Premier League referee Graham Scott believes VAR has fundamentally altered how dangerous tackles are judged.

 

"The introduction of VAR has created situations such as Balogun's red card," Scott explained. According to him, football has gradually shifted away from judging intent or speed towards judging the final point of contact. "Slow-motion replays and still images distort the offending player's actions, with innocuous tackles looking more serious." Scott argues Balogun's challenge fits that description.

 

"He is never out of control and the contact is accidental," Scott said. Yet the replay tells a different story.

 

"The replays make for grim viewing, as Muharemovic's ankle buckles and he is clearly in distress."

 

In Scott's opinion: "In the spirit of the law, Balogun was unlucky. But in its recent interpretation, a red card was inevitable." That distinction perhaps best captures football's current dilemma.

 

Why fans are questioning consistency

 

The frustration surrounding Balogun's dismissal does not stem solely from this challenge. It comes after several controversial officiating decisions earlier in the tournament.

 

Brazil's Vinicius Junior saw a goal ruled out following minimal contact during the build-up. Ghana were denied what many believed was a clear penalty against England despite VAR remaining silent.

Germany benefited from a goal that Ecuador argued should have been ruled out because of an earlier high boot. Most notably, Lionel Messi escaped punishment for a challenge against Algeria that many believed also endangered an opponent.

 

Scott referenced that incident directly. "Messi's potential red card against Algeria was a classic example."

 

He added: "There is no intensity in his challenge, but the still images were ugly and on another day, he might have been sent off." That comparison only intensified criticism after Balogun's dismissal.

 

If two visually similar incidents produce different outcomes, supporters inevitably question whether VAR is delivering the consistency it promised. 

 

Technology versus football

 

Ironically, VAR has significantly reduced factual errors. Offside decisions are now measured almost to the millimetre.

 

Mistaken identities have virtually disappeared. Yet football's biggest debates have simply shifted elsewhere.

 

Instead of asking whether referees saw an incident correctly, discussions now focus on how those incidents are interpreted. Should slow-motion footage outweigh real-time context?

 

Should accidental contact carry the same punishment as reckless intent? Can the "spirit of the game" coexist with frame-by-frame analysis?

 

Balogun's dismissal sits squarely at the centre of those questions.

 

The cost for the United States

 

Beyond the wider debate lies an immediate sporting consequence.

 

Balogun's suspension means Mauricio Pochettino's side, already facing one of Europe's strongest squads—must tackle Belgium without their first-choice striker.

 

Under FIFA regulations, Balogun cannot appeal the suspension.

 

He may attend the match but only from the stands, with no access to the dressing room, tunnel or technical area before or during the game.

 

For a United States side seeking only its second-ever World Cup quarter-final, the absence is significant. Accuracy alone may not end football's arguments Balogun's red card may ultimately prove legally correct.

 

It may also highlight exactly why football continues wrestling with VAR. Technology has made officiating more accurate. It has not necessarily made it more consistent.

 

As long as identical-looking incidents continue producing different outcomes depending on interpretation, the debate will remain.

 

And as the World Cup progresses into its decisive knockout rounds, every review, every replay and every refereeing decision will carry consequences far beyond the ninety minutes.