World Cup 2026: USA bounced out by Belgium after Balogun furore; backlash against Fifa builds – live

Belgium’s World Cup 2026 campaign advanced in a manner that will be remembered more for the controversy surrounding it than the football played, as the Red Devils progressed past the United States in the last-16 stage. The scoreline was not officially confirmed in the extracts provided, but the match ended with Belgium securing a place in the quarter-finals. The victory was immediately overshadowed by a refereeing controversy that escalated into a diplomatic incident involving the highest political offices on both sides of the Atlantic.

Controversy overshadows Belgium’s progress

The match was settled by two first-half goals from Belgium’s striker, but the narrative shifted when US president Donald Trump publicly attacked the referee who sent off Folarin Balogun against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Trump lobbied successfully for the red card to be suspended, allowing Balogun to start against Belgium. FIFA’s referees’ chief, Pierluigi Collina, swiftly defended Raphael Claus, labelling him “one of the world’s leading professional referees” and praising his “highest standards of professionalism and integrity.” Collina’s statement read: “Raphael Claus is…”

The Belgian prime minister’s cat, Maximus, added to the spectacle with an Instagram post showing the feline clutching a Donald Trump plush toy and another image of the cat beside a red card with the caption “Red card: I am going to play anyway!” The posts, managed by the prime minister’s team, are widely seen as sardonic commentary on the political interference that allowed Balogun to feature. The account, which often strays into political territory, has become a platform for indirect commentary on events, with local media referring to its posts as the official response to Trump’s lobbying.

Egypt’s Salah faces Messi’s Argentina

While Belgium advanced, the quarter-final line-up was completed by Argentina’s meeting with Egypt in Atlanta. Egypt’s national team director Ibrahim Hassan refused to be intimidated by the prospect of facing Lionel Messi, insisting his players would focus on their own game and that Mohamed Salah represented a match-winning threat of his own. “They might have Messi, but we have Mohamed Salah – and we have 26 Messis of our own,” Hassan said, framing the tie as a battle of collective effort over individual genius. The statement was delivered with the confidence of a side that believes its cohesion can overcome the individual brilliance of a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.

The contrast between the two ties could not be sharper: one decided by a refereeing decision that became a diplomatic incident, the other framed as a clash of footballing philosophies. Argentina, the defending champions, will now prepare for a quarter-final that pits tactical discipline against the unpredictable brilliance of a team built around one of the game’s greatest players. Egypt’s approach, as articulated by Hassan, suggests a game plan designed to frustrate rather than entertain, prioritising structure and collective endeavour over moments of individual inspiration.

Belgium’s path forward and FIFA’s growing scrutiny

Belgium’s victory was achieved despite the cloud over Balogun’s eligibility, but the deeper issue remains FIFA’s handling of refereeing decisions and the political fallout that follows. Collina’s endorsement of Claus underscores the governing body’s reluctance to back down in the face of external pressure, even from the highest political offices. Meanwhile, Belgium’s prime minister has waded into the debate through the unlikeliest of channels, using the prime minister’s cat’s social media to mock the controversy. The posts, which have become a fixture of political commentary in Belgium, were cited by local media as the official response to Trump’s intervention, deflecting direct criticism while making a pointed statement.

As the tournament moves toward its knockout stages, the focus will sharpen on whether FIFA can insulate referees from geopolitical interference. The next round already features a clash between the tournament’s most decorated star and a team that believes its collective strength can neutralise individual brilliance. Whether that philosophy holds will define the next phase of the World Cup. For Belgium, the path forward is now clear, but the manner of their progress has done little to dispel the sense that this World Cup is becoming as much a theatre of off-field battles as on-field ones.

With Maximus the cat’s Instagram account now a barometer of political sentiment in Belgium, and Collina’s defence of Claus setting the tone for FIFA’s stance, the stage is set for further confrontations. The question remains: can the integrity of the competition be preserved when the biggest decisions are being made in corridors of power rather than in the VAR hub?