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Good morning football fans. It’s Tuesday, July. 7 - UEFA criticises Fifa’s decision to rescind Folarin Balogun’s red card, data shows most goals are coming late this World Cup, and everything else you need to know. Forwarded this email? Sign up here.
KEY FIXTURES
2026 World Cup round of 16 (July 7): Argentina vs Egypt, 12:00 ET / 17:00 BST. Argentina are now on an 11-match winning streak across all tournaments and have scored two or more goals in all of those victories. Meanwhile, Egypt have been less consistent, with three wins, two draws and a loss in their last five matches, and they’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in six straight matches. Switzerland vs Colombia, 16:00 ET / 21:00 BST. Switzerland have been eliminated at the World Cup round of 16 stage in 2006, 2014, 2018, and 2022, with the group-stage exit in 2010 the only exception. Colombia, who have four wins in five, have also kept a clean sheet in each of their last three outings, conceding only once at this tournament in their opening game to Uzbekistan (3-1). See every upcoming World Cup fixture here and bracket here.
Results…
World Cup round of 16: Portugal vs Spain | United States vs Belgium (Live Results)
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TOP TALKING POINTS
UEFA Attack Balogun Decision
UEFA says Fifa’s decision to suspend a red card shown to United States striker Folarin Balogun “crossed a red line”. The scathing statement questioned the integrity of the competition over the suspension of Balogun’s automatic ban, issued after he was sent off in the round of 32 during the USMNT’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fifa doesn’t have an appeal process for red cards shown mid-tournament, though the governing body invoked Article 27 to reverse Balogun’s red card. One of Fifa’s vice presidents anonymously told Politico that the decision was an “utter disgrace”.
Speaking at the White House on Monday, Trump confirmed (video) that he called Fifa president Gianni Infantino before the decision was announced. “I think [the suspension] would have left a big stain. I can't tell [Fifa] what to do. I don't believe they made the decision; I believe it was the commission that made the decision,” Trump said. He then questioned the referee, calling the Brazilian official “a little bit suspect.” Infantino later confirmed that he “did receive a call from President Donald Trump”, though he defended the conversation and explained how the process had remained an independent judgment — read the full statement here.
The Belgian FA, whose side plays the USMNT in the round of 16, appealed against the decision, but a member of the Fifa appeals committee dismissed their challenge. However, the Belgian FA claims that Fifa created an appeal on the back of its request for more information, rather than responding to a formal appeal lodged by the national federation. It also says that Fifa has refused to respond to its request for an explanation, which the Belgian FA says is a prerequisite for an official appeal.
According to Opta, since the introduction of yellow and red cards at the 1970 World Cup, no player has ever been sent off and then gone on to play in his team’s next World Cup match. Of the 188 World Cup red cards, only Brazil’s Garrincha in 1962 escaped a ban before suspensions became automatic, though it was marred by political interference.
EPL Spending Underway
Premier League clubs have already spent nearly €1bn (£828m) on transfers in this summer’s window. At the time of writing, English top-flight clubs have spent €968.5m, according to Transfermarkt, almost a third of the league’s record spent in the 2025 summer window, with just under two months left for the transfer window to close.
Tottenham are by far the biggest spenders in this window. On Monday, Spurs announced a club-record signing of Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United for €108m, a week after signing Mateus Fernandes from West Ham for €99m. The earlier signing of centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke takes Spurs’ outlay to €267m. Spurs can spend so much on signings because of the Premier League's new squad cost ratio (SCR) financial rules, which allow clubs to spend up to 85% of their football-related revenue and net profit from player sales on player costs. Spurs’ total revenue for the 2024-25 season was £565m, which means they can spend up to £480m per year on their squad.
Elsewhere, the next-biggest spenders are Manchester City (€160m), most of which was spent on Elliot Anderson, and Chelsea (€119m).
Late Goals Explained
The trend of more goals being scored deep into second-half stoppage time continues at the 2026 World Cup. According to data from Reuters, the rate has risen since the 2018 tournament, reaching 0.26 goals per match as of the end of the round of 16, and up 15% from 2022.
The increase in late goals is largely due to longer matches. Referees began calculating stoppage time more precisely at the 2022 World Cup, and mandatory hydration breaks have extended games further in 2026, with average added time rising from 11.2 minutes per match in 2022 to more than 14 minutes this year. The longer endings, of course, allow more time for decisive moments.
Stoppage-time drama forms part of a broader trend towards goals being scored later in World Cup matches. In earlier tournaments, goals were distributed more evenly between the two halves, but in recent tournaments, fewer than 40% have been scored during first-half regulation time. Reuters’ analysis suggests that longer added time, more substitutions and late-match fatigue have all contributed to the growing share of goals scored after halftime.
POLL
Was FIFA justified in expanding the World Cup to 48 teams?
ON THE BALL
Europe
> UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer reportedly told the FA to block the move to bring England-Mexico’s kick-off forward over fears it would give Mexico an unfair advantage (More) | Jordan Henderson was taken to the hospital after suffering a broken wrist while celebrating England’s round of 16 win over Mexico (More)
> Oliver Glasner becomes Nottingham Forest’s fifth head coach in a year as he replaces Vitor Pereira (More)
> Real Madrid’s opening match of the 2026-27 La Liga season will be delayed due to the participation of their players deep into the World Cup (More)
Americas
> Spain have advanced to the quarter-finals of the World Cup following their 1-0 win over Portugal, ending Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup career; Roberto Martinez has confirmed he will leave his role as Portugal coach (More) | England’s Reece James is expected to be available for England’s World Cup quarter-final match against Norway on Saturday (17:00 ET / 22:00 BST) (More)
> The French Football Federation (FFF) has launched an appeal to Fifa in an attempt to have Michael Olise's yellow card rescinded (More) | The FFF has also announced they are filing a lawsuit against Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla for her alleged racist remarks against Kylian Mbappe (More); more detail (more)
> Neymar has announced his retirement from international football following Brazil’s round of 16 exit to Norway at the 2026 World Cup (More)
> Women’s professional leagues in the United States and Canada are hoping to use the World Cup as a springboard for growth (More)
Rest of the World
> Chung Mong-gyu stepped down as president of the Korea Football Association, among many other football officials across Asia (More)
ROUTERS’ VOICE
Yesterday’s Poll: Do you think it was fair for FIFA to use Article 27 to rescind Folarin Balogun’s red card?
🟨 🟨 🟨 🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ 👍 Yes (41%)
🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🟩 🙅♂️ Nope (56%)
🟨 ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ⬜️ ✍️ Other (3%)
Your punditry takes:
👍 D.L: “The red card was wrong in the first place, and the US was already punished enough for 35 minutes playing a man down when they should not have. Other sports do this. Fifa needs to modernise.”
🙅♂️ D.J: “This is one of the biggest instances of blatant corruption in World Cup history, and it shouldn't be downplayed in the slightest. The White House contacted Infantino and Fifa directly to get it reviewed, and it was lifted. If he scores in their next game (and they win it), there will rightly be uproar. Article 27 does not mention the criteria or circumstances in which Fifa can rescind a red card - it's a black hole where there's no oversight. This is nothing more than a loophole to allow their decisions to be bought or unduly influenced. That is exactly what's happened here.”
🙅♂️ M.O: “As a U.S.A. fan, I am relieved that Balogun can play, but I don’t think it is right. Rules are rules, and the tournament rules state that a red-carded player must be suspended for the next game, and no appeals are available. It shouldn’t matter that he is a member of the host country's team. This is a dangerous and ludicrous precedent.”
EXTRA TIME
Atlas, the humanoid robot, delivers match ball at World Cup.
Harry Kane’s voiceless post-match interview goes viral.
… and where does Mexico win rank among England's best results?
Why Lionel Messi doesn’t run.
Inside Enzo Maresca’s first day as Man City manager.
What happened to Raheem Sterling?
GAME FACE ON
Question: Jude Bellingham is the first player to score two goals at the Estadio Azteca in a World Cup match since which player?
Scroll below for the answer.
Daily Wordle: Guess the football-related word, from player names to classic phrases, in six tries or fewer. Play it here.
We disappointed all Brazilians. We will always be the generation that didn’t win the World Cup.
Answer
Diego Maradona in 1986.
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