The fallout from Folarin Balogun's red card continues, with reports suggesting that FIFA's disciplinary committee chairman, Mohammad al-Kamali, made the decision to suspend the striker's ban unilaterally. The move came after an intervention from US President Donald Trump, despite FIFA statutes forbidding political interference.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the process, stating that "FIFA's judicial bodies are independent." However, The Times reported that al-Kamali made the call alone, and FIFA has refused to publish the written reasons for the decision, marking the first time a World Cup red-card suspension has been lifted.

The Financial Times revealed that the committee's last 110 published decisions were made by one person, with al-Kamali authorized to rule alone. Al-Kamali, a lawyer from the UAE, has strong ties to the US.

Meanwhile, Infantino has hinted at further expanding the men's World Cup to 64 teams for the 2030 tournament, calling the 2026 expansion a "huge success." He argued that every nation should be allowed to dream of participating.

However, the proposal has faced criticism from other continental federations. CONCACAF chief Victor Montagliani said it "doesn't feel right," while Asian federation head Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa warned of "chaos." UEFA, at loggerheads with FIFA, called it a "bad idea."

Infantino is expected to be easily re-elected next year, which would enable him to push through the expansion despite opposition.

Source: www.dw.com