FA consider launching their OWN World Cup red card appeal to overturn Jarell Quansah’s ban after Donald Trump’s controversial Folarin Balogun intervention – as Ian Wright issues plea to Keir Starmer

The FA are considering appealing Jarell Quansah’s red card from Sunday night’s dramatic 3-2 World Cup last-16 win over Mexico.

It comes in light of FIFA’s controversial U-turn over USA striker Folarin Balogun’s sending off against Bosnia-Herzegovina last week following president Donald Trump’s intervention.

Quansah was given his marching orders on 54 minutes after a VAR review for a challenge on Mexico’s Jesus Gallardo.

The defender is now set to serve a one-game ban, meaning he misses Saturday’s quarter-final with Norway, but the FA haven’t ruled out appealing against it with internal discussions ongoing and all options open.

Meanwhile, there is hope that Reece James will be able to train this week and could be available for the weekend. He has been nursing a hamstring injury and has missed the last three matches.

We also understand Djed Spence left the Azteca Stadium with pain in his lower leg and his condition will be monitored in the coming days. 

Spence came from the bench in the 75th minute and, if Quansah’s one-match ban stands, he would be one of the candidates to start at right back. 

Tuchel will hope that his post-match discomfort eases before the squad leave for Miami on Thursday.

Reflecting on Quansah’s red card, former England internationals Gary Neville and Ian Wright were in agreement that his dismissal was the correct one, but said the FA should appeal it in light of the Balogun U-turn – even joking that outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer should get involved.

Balogun was meant to miss the World Cup co-hosts last-16 tie with Belgium (Tuesday, 1am BST) after being given a straight red card during the USA’s 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the last 32.

But in farcical scenes, the former Arsenal striker’s ban was suspended, freeing him up to play, after Trump rang FIFA president Gianni Infantino. 

‘It’s [Quansah’s] a red but I think we should still appeal it because people are getting it overturned now,’ Wright told The Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet.

‘If you look at Balogun’s one, Balogun isn’t going in to break his ankle. It’s just clumsy the way it’s happened.

‘I think Quansah has gone over the ball a bit but like he [Balogun] has got away with it so why can’t England as this has opened up Pandora’s box.

‘I think Keir Starmer makes a call and even [French President Emmanuel] Macron for [Michael] Olise [who was booked in France’s World Cup win against Paraguay]. Make a call.’

Speaking earlier on Monday, Trump confirmed he had personally asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ‘review’ Balogun’s World Cup red card – claiming the match with Belgium would have been ‘rigged’ if he wasn’t available to play.

FIFA has strict rules around political interference in the business of its national associations, with the Nepalese federation suspended just last month for third-party interference.

Infantino issued a statement on Monday evening saying the decision had been taken by its independent disciplinary committee, but earlier Trump revealed he had lobbied Infantino.

‘I saw the play… that [challenge by Balogun] wasn’t a foul, that wasn’t even an infraction, that was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other,’ he said.

‘These were two great athletes that got tangled up and this referee, who is a little bit suspect, if you check his past, he made a call that nobody could believe. He [Balogun] didn’t do anything wrong and he’s 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 for a review by FIFA. I spoke to a man who’s highly respected [Infantino] and by the way, whose level of respect has gone up 10-fold.’

‘This game [against Belgium] would have a big mark on it if we lost [without Balogun].

‘No matter what happened, you have to let [teams] use their best players, and the game [against Belgium] is going to be amazing. And we’re going to have a full team, and Belgium is going to have a full team. And you know what? If [Belgium] beat us, then they can be really proud.

‘The other way [with Balogun banned] – if they beat us, we’ll say it was… I’d say it was rigged, just like the election was rigged in 2020, but I won’t get into that.’

The Belgian Football Association (RBFA) said it had been kept in the dark by FIFA about the reasons behind the suspension of Balogun’s ban, but appealed against the decision.

However, the FIFA Appeal Committee said the RBFA’s case was ‘inadmissible on the grounds that the RBFA is not a party to the proceedings and, as such, has no standing to appeal the decision’.

The RBFA said in a further statement on Monday evening that it ‘has informed the United States Soccer Federation that it contests the eligibility of the player, should the player be listed on the referee’s teamsheet’. It added: ‘This leaves all further actions open.’

Trump insisted he did not ‘tell [Infantino] what to do’ and said he thought ‘a committee’ had made the decision, rather than Infantino himself.

Despite that, Republican Senator Ted Cruz credited Trump with ‘getting rid’ of the ‘ridiculous’ red card.

Infantino issued a statement on Monday evening insisting FIFA’s judicial bodies were independent.

‘They operate autonomously, apply the FIFA Disciplinary Code, and decide cases based on the applicable regulations and the specific facts before them,’ he said.

‘Their independence is essential to the credibility and integrity of football, and this must always be respected.

‘Yes, I regularly discuss matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the President of the United States, and on this matter, I did receive a call from President Donald Trump, just as I receive calls from heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives from around the world on many different issues.

‘During our conversation, I explained that there was an ongoing legal process involving FIFA’s independent judicial bodies and that the case would be decided in due course by the competent bodies.

‘That is how FIFA’s system works, and it is a principle that I will always uphold.

‘I read the decisions of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee when they are issued. Sometimes I am surprised by them. Sometimes I agree with them, and sometimes I disagree.

‘What I always do, however, is respect those decisions and the autonomy of the bodies that make them.’

European football’s governing body UEFA issued an extraordinary statement on Monday morning, saying FIFA’s decision had ‘crossed a red line’.

UEFA expressed ‘disbelief’ that the decision had been taken, which it described as ‘unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable’.

The statement from European football’s governing body added: ‘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.’

The Culture, Media and Sport committee also called on FIFA to explain the basis of its decision.

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