The European Commissioner for Sport Glenn Micallef criticized both the suspension and the political interference, calling it “the wrong decision.”
“Decisions on sporting rules and sporting matters belong to sporting bodies, not politicians,” Micallef wrote in a post on X. “Influencing sporting decisions would undermine the autonomy of sport.”
Even United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer commented on the controversial suspension.
Starmer’s official spokesperson, when asked about FIFA’s decision, said: “Those decisions are a matter for the football World Cup governing body and should stay that way, and we are clear in that position.”
“The Prime Minister supports the integrity of competition in all sports,” he added.
The U.S. team celebrated FIFA’s choice to allow Balogun to play in Monday’s match against Belgium, but opposed political influence in sports.
“Everyone that really loves the sport and trusts ethics and integrity, I think we celebrate all that decision,” head coach Mauricio Pochettino said, adding that his team was “punished” after Balogun was ejected from the game and the team played with a man down in the round of 32. He said that “99.9% of people agree there was an unfair red card.”