During the 2026 World Cup, FIFA suspended the implementation of a one-game suspension that United States men’s national soccer team player Folarin Balogun had received after he was sent off in a round of 32 match victory against the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team for a foul on Tarik Muharemović. Balogun’s suspension was delayed for a probationary period of one year under the Article 27 authority of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. United States president Donald Trump had directly called FIFA president Gianni Infantino asking him to review the red card decision. The decision allowed Balogun to participate in the United States’ Round of 16 match against Belgium despite the red card remaining in effect. Belgium won the match 4–1, with Balogun playing almost the entire match
Another controversy, similar to when the events were hosted in Russia and Qatar, involves host countries immigration policies. The controversy during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, United States immigration and visa policies under the second Trump administration, which have affected players, officials, journalists, and fans from several qualified nations. A travel ban affecting citizens of 39 countries—including World Cup participants Haiti, Iran, Ivory Coast, and Senegal—has prevented most ordinary fans from those countries from obtaining visas to attend matches in the United States, though exemptions were granted for athletes, coaches, and essential support staff, as well as dual citizens, permanent residents, and valid visa holders. A separate visa bond program initially required fans from five African nations to pay deposits of up to $15,000, a requirement that was temporarily suspended in May 2026 for ticketed fans. Iraqi striker Aymen Hussein was detained for seven hours upon arrival at O’Hare International Airport, while Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry and was unable to officiate at the tournament.
I would have expected people to be more angry at the US’s actions than Argentina’s.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_Trump–FIFA_red_card_controversy
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_2026_FIFA_World_Cup_controversies