Off the PitchThe GuardianUnverified source· 19 Aug 2026
Webb 'really troubled' by Balogun World Cup ban reprieve
England's refereeing chief fears growing conspiracy beliefs after FIFA lifted Balogun's ban following Trump's appeal.

Who
Howard Webb
What
Expressed concern over FIFA decision
When
Before new Premier League season
Where
Speaking publicly
What happened. Howard Webb said he was 'really troubled' by FIFA's decision to suspend Folarin Balogun's red-card ban after a direct appeal from US president Donald Trump.
- Webb noted red card was shown and understood why.
- He said pressure from a politician was admitted.
- Suspension was removed through a seemingly new process.
“I was really troubled by it.”
— Howard Webb
Webb spoke ahead of new measures making independent refereeing assessments public for the first time.
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