İSTANBUL
The 2026 FIFA World Cup has been marked by a series of major controversies both on and off the pitch, with several incidents moving beyond football and drawing global attention to refereeing, racism, political influence and the governance of the sport.
While the tournament has produced dramatic knockout-stage matches, debates over the integrity of decisions and the conduct of officials, politicians and football authorities have increasingly dominated the agenda.
The most consequential controversy has been FIFA’s decision to suspend the one-match ban of US forward Folarin Balogun after a red card, following direct contact between US President Donald Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Balogun case fuels political influence debate
US forward Folarin Balogun was sent off with a straight red card in the US 2-0 Round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina after a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic. A red card normally carries an automatic one-match suspension.
However, FIFA announced Sunday that Balogun’s suspension had been put on hold for a probationary period of one year, clearing the 25-year-old forward to play against Belgium in the Round of 16 in Seattle.
Trump confirmed Monday that he had spoken to FIFA President Gianni Infantino and asked FIFA to review the decision.
“I asked for a review, because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump told reporters at the White House, describing the referee’s decision as “horrible.”
Trump said he did not tell Infantino what to do, adding that he believed the ruling was made by a FIFA committee.
Infantino acknowledged that he had spoken with Trump, saying he regularly discusses matters related to the FIFA World Cup with the US president, as well as with heads of state, government officials, football stakeholders and business executives around the world.
He said he told Trump that the case was before FIFA’s independent bodies and would be resolved through the relevant process.
The decision drew sharp criticism from football circles, including UEFA, which said FIFA had “crossed a red line.” The European governing body said the automatic one-match suspension after a red card is embedded in football regulations and “is not a discretionary option.”
Belgium’s football federation said it was “astonished” by the decision and sought clarification from FIFA on the process, the applicable rules, and the reasons for the decision.
Argentina-Egypt match sparks VAR row
Another major controversy erupted after Argentina’s 3-2 comeback win over Egypt in the Round of 16.
Egypt led defending champions Argentina 2-0 late in the match before conceding three goals in the final stages and being eliminated.
Much of the controversy centered on a second-half goal by Egypt’s Mostafa Zico, which was ruled out after a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) review for a foul in the buildup.
Egypt also appealed for a late penalty after Hamdy Fathy went down under a challenge, but play continued and Argentina scored the winner shortly afterward.
The Egyptian Football Association said several key incidents raised serious concerns over the consistency and fairness of refereeing decisions, adding that such calls directly affected the course of the game.
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan later said his team suffered an “unjust defeat,” claiming “marketing support” helped keep defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi in the tournament.
Captain Mohamed Salah and several former players and pundits also questioned the officiating, with criticism focusing on whether VAR was applied consistently in key moments.
Racist remarks against Mbappe draw condemnation
The tournament has also faced a major off-field scandal after racist remarks were made against France captain Kylian Mbappe by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla following France’s 1-0 Round of 16 win over Paraguay, sealed by Mbappe’s penalty.
Amarilla targeted Mbappe in a series of posts on US social media platform X, mocking his Cameroonian roots, upbringing, appearance and education. In one post, she described the French captain as a “colonized Cameroonian pretending to be French,” along with other insulting remarks.
Mbappe hit back on X, calling Amarilla “a despicable woman and unworthy” of her position, and said she did not represent Paraguay or the country’s players, who had shown passion and honor during the tournament.
The UN human rights office condemned the remarks as “despicable” and said they were “not isolated,” warning that racist incidents at the World Cup reflected a broader problem across football and sport.
French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari said Paraguay’s government had apologized over the senator’s remarks and that Paris prosecutors had opened an investigation.
Host-country politics, refereeing debates continue
Beyond individual incidents, the World Cup has also faced criticism over immigration and visa concerns in the United States, protests surrounding host cities, LGBTQ+ issues and labor conditions linked to stadium projects in Mexico.
Refereeing consistency has remained another recurring theme throughout the knockout stage, with complaints focusing on VAR intervention thresholds, penalty decisions, disciplinary standards and the interpretation of serious foul play.
Taken together, the controversies have made the 2026 World Cup one of the most politically and socially charged editions of the tournament in recent memory.
