Uefa hits out at Fifa's decision to delay Folrian Balogun's ban saying it 'crossed a red line'

However, Fifa stepped in so Balogun could play, with the White House reportedly making a call to the governing body asking President Gianni Infantino to review the incident, according to the Associated Press.

In a statement, Uefa said: "Yesterday's decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line.

"Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition.

"Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not.

"A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted.

"It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension."

The statement continued: "When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined.

"Equally, such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.

"Football is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because it is played everywhere with the same laws.

"A tournament is never a pure standalone and, if the tournament in question is the World Cup, it has the power to drive positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole.

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision."

Fifa announced yesterday the automatic one-match ban will be suspended for at least a year.

In a statement, the governing body wrote: "In line with Article 27 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code, the implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year.

"If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement."

US President Donald Trump weighed in on the matter when Fifa suspended the one-game ban, thanking the governing body on Truth Social.

He wrote: "Thank you to Fifa for doing what was right, and reversing a great injustice! President Donald J. Trump."

Balogun has been a key player for the United States at the World Cup, scoring twice in their opening game against Paraguay, a 4-1 win.