---
title: "FIFA Scandal: How Balogun Was Secretly Saved and Double Standards Were Established at the 2026 World Cup"
description: "FIFA caused a scandal: Balogun was saved secretly, while Quansah was punished strictly. Double standards and al-Kamali's silence are causing outrage. ⚽🔥 #FIFA #WC2026 #Balogun"
date: 2026-07-13T09:50:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/fifa-scandal-how-balogun-was-secretly-saved-and-double-standards-were-established-at-the-2026-world-cup
tags: [fifa, balogun, chm-2026, al-kamali, kwansah]
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# FIFA Scandal: How Balogun Was Secretly Saved and Double Standards Were Established at the 2026 World Cup

![Balogun in USMNT jersey #20 making 'phone' gesture on stadium background — symbol of secret deals in FIFA scandal ahead of WC-2026](https://xab.info/media/2026/07/13/skandal-v-fifa-kak-sekretno-spasili-baloguna-i-ustroili-dvoynye-standarty-na-chm-2026/skandal-v-fifa-kak-sekretno-spasili-baloguna-i-ustroili-dvoynye-standarty-na-chm-2026-1.webp)

The 2026 World Cup, which was supposed to be a triumph of sporting justice, has found itself at the center of a major scandal. The focus of attention is the fate of USA striker Folarin Balogun, whose suspension was replaced with a suspended sentence under conditions of complete secrecy. The revelation of the details of the procedure shocked the football community and sparked talk of double standards in FIFA's operations.

### A Secret Decision by One Person

It turned out that the fate of the 25-year-old forward was decided not by a collegial body, but by a single official. The head of FIFA's disciplinary committee, Mohammed al-Kamali, unilaterally signed the document regarding amnesty. No meetings, consultations, or discussions with other committee members were held.

The disciplinary body consists of 18 specialists, but 17 of them were completely excluded from the process. They were simply presented with a fait accompli: the decision has already been made, and Balogun is on the field. Such secrecy caused a wave of outrage within the football world.

### Double Standards: USA vs. England

The situation with Balogun became particularly egregious against the backdrop of another incident at the same tournament. For a similar serious foul, England defender Jarrell Quansah received the maximum penalty — a two-match suspension without any attempts at mitigation.

At the same time, Balogun, who was sent off in the Round of 16 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina, had his automatic one-match ban replaced with a one-year probationary period. This allowed him to take the field in the Round of 8 match against Belgium, where the Americans lost 1:4.

The difference in approaches to punishing identical offenses became obvious proof of a double standards policy. Football authorities, it seems, chose who to forgive and who to punish.

### The Silence of al-Kamali

Journalists attempted to get comments from Mohammed al-Kamali during the Argentina vs. Switzerland match. He was asked about ignoring his colleagues' opinions and the differing interpretations of the incidents involving Quansah and Balogun. However, the official from the UAE ignored the media, said not a word, and hastily left the scene.

Such a reaction only strengthened suspicions that behind the scenes, processes are taking place that cannot be explained from the standpoint of sporting rules and ethics.

### Consequences for FIFA's Reputation

The scandal surrounding Balogun and Quansah has dealt another blow to FIFA's reputation. Previously, the organization had already faced criticism for yielding to political figures, including Donald Trump, and was preparing for a possible ousting of President Infantino by UEFA.

Now, another problem has been added to these issues — the violation of principles of fairness and transparency in the work of disciplinary bodies. The football community demands answers: who makes the decisions, why are they hidden from the public, and how can it be guaranteed that similar situations will not happen in the future?

For now, the scandal surrounding Balogun remains an open question that could have far-reaching consequences for the future of world football.