Premier League chief and England referee chief denounce FIFA's reversal of Balogun suspension

Richard Masters, chief executive of the Premier League, and Howard Webb, England's chief refereeing officer, publicly rebuked FIFA for rescinding the two-match ban imposed on USA forward Folarin Balogun following his red card in the World Cup round of 32. Under tournament rules, the dismissal should have resulted in an automatic suspension with no appeal. The ban was withdrawn after Donald Trump contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino, permitting Balogun to feature in the last-16 match versus Belgium.

Webb described the episode as troubling and suggested political pressure influenced the decision. Masters argued that the incident highlights the need for a review mechanism similar to that used in domestic leagues. Both men warned that such actions could erode trust in refereeing and disciplinary systems across football.