Suspension - Soccer Wiretap

Inter Miami has signed Brazilian midfielder Casemiro on a free transfer, but MLS is investigating the club for a potential tampering violation tied to the deal. The league addressed the situation in a statement Tuesday.

"Major League Soccer is reviewing a tampering allegation against Inter Miami CF," MLS said. "The league is gathering all relevant information and will refrain from further comment until the review is complete. While Inter Miami CF and the LA Galaxy have reached a settlement for the Discovery Priority to sign Casemiro, the terms will be released upon conclusion of the tampering investigation."

The LA Galaxy previously held discovery rights to Casemiro, a mechanism intended to prevent MLS clubs from competing against one another for the same target before formally securing negotiating rights. Miami will compensate the Galaxy for those rights, though the final amount remains pending until the investigation concludes.

This marks the latest disciplinary issue for Inter Miami. In 2021, MLS suspended chief operating officer and sporting director Paul McDonough for a year and fined the club $2 million, plus an additional $250,000 fine for managing owner Jorge Mas, after an investigation found Miami circumvented salary cap rules. The club falsely reported Blaise Matuidi's salary below the designated player threshold while paying him several million dollars beyond what was disclosed. MLS also found similar underreporting involving Andres Reyes, Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Nicolas Figal and Julian Carranza, resulting in more than $2.27 million in allocation money penalties across 2022 and 2023.

Miami also clashed with the league last summer when Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba were each suspended a game for skipping the MLS All-Star Game without a documented injury. Mas publicly criticized the rule as "draconian" while defending both players.

Casemiro, 34, joins Miami on a non-designated player deal for now, signing a short-term contract through summer 2027 with an option to extend through summer 2029. Mas addressed the signing in a club statement.

"Casemiro's arrival reflects the vision and ambition that define Inter Miami," said Mas. "We never settle. We're always looking to grow, improve, and raise our standards every season. We've built a global club with the vision of becoming not only the best club in the United States, but also a benchmark globally."

Casemiro enjoyed a strong season at Manchester United, scoring nine goals while starting 33 matches and helping the club secure a third-place league finish and Champions League qualification for next season. He also started for Brazil at this summer's World Cup and has earned 91 caps for his national team.

Casemiro joined Manchester United from Real Madrid in 2022 following a decorated run in Spain that included five Champions League titles and three La Liga championships. MLS has resumed play following a nearly two-month World Cup break, with Miami set to open its schedule Wednesday against the Chicago Fire. Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, both of whom helped Argentina reach the World Cup final, will not be available for that match, which is expected to feature the MLS debut of Robert Lewandowski for Chicago.

Jarell Quansah will sit out England's World Cup quarterfinal against Norway after receiving a two-match suspension for his red card against Mexico. The ban also rules him out of a potential semifinal if England advances.

Quansah was sent off in the 54th minute of England's 3-2 round-of-16 win over Mexico following a VAR review for a high challenge on defender Jesus Gallardo. England finished the match a man down but held on to advance to Saturday's quarterfinal in Miami.

The suspension leaves England thin at right back heading into the match. Manager Thomas Tuchel is already monitoring Reece James, who has been out with a hamstring injury since the scoreless draw with Ghana and trained separately from the squad Wednesday.

England has cycled through several options at the position this tournament. Djed Spence started after Quansah was injured against Panama, Declan Rice finished as an emergency right back against Congo DR, and Ezri Konsa filled in following Quansah's dismissal against Mexico.

Sources told ESPN the Football Association considered its options for Quansah's ban after FIFA suspended USMNT striker Folarin Balogun's one-game ban and extended it to 12 months following intervention from President Donald Trump.

Tuchel voiced frustration over the precedent set by FIFA's decision on Balogun.

"Where does this start and where does this end now?" said Tuchel. "Can we overturn it or not overturn it? What's going on?

"Where to draw the line is the question that I ask. I have no answer to that. Where does this end now? Do we appeal if a yellow card is not a yellow card. Do we think it is not a red card or who thinks it? Where does this start and where does this end?"

England will face Erling Haaland and Norway on Saturday in Miami without Quansah available.

President Donald Trump contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino last week to request a review of Folarin Balogun's one-game suspension, sources confirmed to The Athletic, a request that preceded FIFA's decision to suspend the United States striker's ban.

Balogun was sent off for a foul on Bosnia and Herzegovina's Tarik Muharemovic during the Americans' 2-0 round of 32 win. FIFA's independent disciplinary committee later ruled to suspend his ban, clearing him for Monday's round of 16 meeting with Belgium.

Trump praised the move on Truth Social, thanking FIFA for reversing what he called a "great injustice." Reports from the Associated Press and The New York Times first detailed his conversation with Infantino, which a source confirmed took place.

U.S. Soccer also enlisted outside legal counsel, working alongside Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and hedge fund manager Scott Goodwin, according to journalist Clay Travis. Goodwin disputed the extent of outside involvement in a social media post.

The Royal Belgian Football Association said it was "astonished" by FIFA's ruling and has since exercised its right to appeal.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia voiced sharp criticism of the decision during his pre-match availability.

"I didn't know that July 5 was equal to April 1 (April Fools' Day) at FIFA," said Garcia. "I think we should refer to the (statement) of my federation, the Belgian federation.

"The federation does not defend itself, it does not defend the national team, it defends football in general."

Norway coach Stale Solbakken, whose team eliminated Brazil earlier Sunday, also condemned the ruling.

"He got a red card. The VAR concluded it was a red, and he was sent off," said Solbakken. "It's a bad, bad, bad, bad decision."

FIFA has not publicly detailed the disciplinary committee's reasoning behind the suspension.

The French Football Federation has requested that FIFA rescind a yellow card issued to Michael Olise during France's round of 16 victory over Paraguay on Saturday, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.

Olise received the caution following a physical exchange with Paraguay's Matias Galarza. Video replays indicated the Bayern Munich forward had grabbed Galarza's shirt rather than his face, despite Galarza falling to the ground clutching his face.

The yellow card puts Olise at risk of suspension for a potential World Cup semifinal matchup against Spain or Portugal. He would be forced to sit out that match if he receives another caution during Thursday's quarterfinal against Morocco in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

Sources who spoke on condition of anonymity, since they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, confirmed the French federation has formally appealed the ruling to FIFA. FIFA has not yet responded to a request for comment.

The federation's appeal arrives shortly after FIFA suspended a one-match ban for United States forward Folarin Balogun. French officials maintain their challenge is unrelated to the Balogun situation and view the Olise card as a separate case of unfair officiating.

Balogun was ejected during the Americans' round of 32 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina but has since been cleared to face Belgium Monday at Lumen Field in Seattle. FIFA invoked Article 27 of its disciplinary code to suspend his ban for one year.

The Royal Belgian Football Association has appealed that decision, drawing sharp criticism from UEFA among others.

"We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision," said UEFA in a statement Monday.

The European governing body added that the ruling had crossed a red line, warning that the integrity of the game was now at stake.

Belgium coach Rudi Garcia said he initially believed reports were false when FIFA cleared suspended United States striker Folarin Balogun to play in Monday's round of 16 match, according to ESPN. The Belgian federation said it is "investigating all potential options" in response to the ruling.

"I didn't know that at the World Cup, the 5th of July is actually the first of April, it's April Fools' [Day]," said Garcia.

Garcia said the federation's statement, which criticized FIFA's decision as unprecedented and contrary to pre-tournament guidelines, was not solely intended to protect Belgium's interests.

"We're not defending the national team or federation," said Garcia. "We are defending football."

Balogun was sent off during the United States' 2-0 win over Bosnia-Herzegovina in the round of 32 for a tackle that went unpunished on the field but drew a red card following video review. FIFA announced Sunday morning that his suspension had been reduced, clearing him to face Belgium.

Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said earlier notice of the reversal would have helped his team prepare mentally, though he expressed confidence in his squad regardless of Balogun's availability.

"He is a very fast striker," said Courtois. "Maybe a different profile than [Ricardo] Pepi. They have a lot of quality up front."

Norway coach Stale Solbakken also condemned FIFA's ruling after his team defeated Brazil in the round of 16.

"I think that's a big mistake by FIFA, it's not a great conclusion," said Solbakken. "He has got a red card, VAR concluded it was a red card, and he was sent off, so that means he is suspended for one game.

"The Belgians will be furious, and what happens if he scores a goal that wins the game? It's a bad, bad, bad, bad decision for the World Cup."

Folarin Balogun will be eligible to face Belgium in the World Cup round of 16 after FIFA suspended his one-match suspension, sources briefed on the matter told The Athletic. The striker had been banned following a red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Balogun received a straight red card on Wednesday for a foul on defender Tarik Muharemovic. Under Article 10.5 of FIFA's tournament regulations, the offense automatically triggered a one-game ban for the United States men's national team forward.

FIFA officials told The Athletic after the match that teams cannot appeal a red card or the resulting suspension. That made Balogun's status for the Belgium match appear settled, barring an alternative process.

Sources with knowledge of the situation said FIFA has instead suspended the punishment, clearing Balogun to play against Rudi Garcia's Belgium side. The move relies on a separate FIFA statute rather than a formal appeal.

Article 27 of FIFA's disciplinary code permits judicial bodies to fully or partially suspend a sanction. The rule states that a suspension can be revoked if the player commits another offense of similar nature during a probationary period, with the original sanction then enforced alongside any new punishment.

A similar scenario played out for Cristiano Ronaldo before the World Cup began. FIFA issued the Portugal captain a three-match ban but suspended the final two matches under a one-year probation period.

FIFA and U.S. Soccer have not yet responded to requests for comment. Balogun's status adds a significant boost for the USMNT ahead of a high-stakes knockout matchup.

Folarin Balogun will sit out the United States' World Cup round of 16 matchup with Belgium after his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot be appealed.

The suspension stems from FIFA's automatic one-match ban tied to red card dismissals during the tournament. Sources added that FIFA has not yet decided whether to extend Balogun's punishment beyond that single match.

FIFA previously lengthened a similar ban for Qatar midfielder Assim Madibo, stretching his suspension from one game to five after Canada's Ismael Kone suffered a broken leg on the play. No such review has been confirmed for Balogun's case.

Under FIFA's disciplinary code, a red card triggers automatic suspension from the following match. Sources noted that VAR review functions as the initial appeal process, since match officials assess incidents in real time before any card is shown.

Balogun leads the Americans in scoring this World Cup with three goals, including the opening tally in the United States' 2-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina in Santa Clara. Brazilian referee Raphael Claus issued the red card in the 64th minute following a VAR review of a challenge on defender Tarik Muharemovic.

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino sharply criticized the call afterward.

"Never a red card," said Pochettino, calling the challenge a "normal action in football."

Muharemovic needed extended on-field treatment after Balogun's studs struck his ankle and Achilles tendon during the play, despite Pochettino's objection to the severity of the punishment.

The United States will face Belgium in Seattle on Monday with a quarterfinal berth on the line.

Ivory Coast striker Elye Wahi was arrested by French police on May 29 on suspicion of spot-fixing, less than two weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, The Athletic has revealed. The 23-year-old has since started for Ivory Coast at the tournament.

The Marseille public prosecutor's office confirmed the arrest in a statement to The Athletic.

"We can confirm that a 23-year-old football player, competing in France's Ligue 1, was arrested on May 29 as part of an investigation opened by the Marseille public prosecutor's office into allegations of organized fraud, organized sports corruption, handling of proceeds of crime and money laundering," a spokesperson said. "He was released after he was interviewed in police custody. The investigations remain ongoing."

The probe began after France's Ligue de Football Professionnel received notifications of unusual betting activity surrounding Nice's Ligue 1 fixture against Metz on May 17, specifically wagers placed on Wahi to receive a yellow card. Wahi was booked in the 35th minute of that match following a late challenge on a Metz defender.

The caution triggered an automatic one-match suspension, ruling Wahi out of Nice's relegation playoff first leg against Saint-Etienne. Three days later, he returned to score twice in a 4-1 victory and was named man of the match before anti-corruption specialists arrested him afterward.

Wahi has not been charged with any crime. He traveled to the United States and started Ivory Coast's 1-0 Group E victory over Ecuador in Philadelphia on Sunday, hitting the crossbar before being substituted in the 55th minute. Manchester United winger Amad Diallo scored the winning goal in the 90th minute.

FIFA did not respond to questions from The Athletic regarding whether it knew of Wahi's arrest before Sunday's match or whether his eligibility to participate could be affected. Ivory Coast faces Group E leaders Germany in Toronto on Saturday.

Chelsea have dropped vice-captain Enzo Fernandez for Saturday's FA Cup quarterfinal against Port Vale and the April 12 Premier League match against Manchester City, head coach Liam Rosenior confirmed Friday. The decision follows a series of public comments from the Argentine midfielder that raised questions about his commitment to the club.

"As a football club, with me as part of that process, we've made a decision. He won't be available for tomorrow's game and he won't be available for Manchester City next Sunday," Rosenior said. "I think for Enzo, it's disappointing to speak in that way."

Fernandez's comments began surfacing after Chelsea's 8-2 aggregate Champions League elimination by Paris Saint-Germain in March. Speaking to Argentine media during the international break, he expressed uncertainty about his future at Stamford Bridge and said he "did not understand" the club's decision to dismiss former head coach Enzo Maresca in January.

"Obviously it's a departure that hurt us a lot because we had an identity, he had given us an order, beyond how football sometimes gives you good or bad results," Fernandez said of Maresca's exit.

In a separate interview, Fernandez was asked which European city he would choose to live in and replied: "I really like Madrid — it's similar to Buenos Aires, the food, everything."

Rosenior framed the suspension as a necessary cultural boundary rather than a personal indictment of Fernandez.

"What I will say about Enzo is in terms of him as a character, as a person, I've got no bad words to say about him, but I think a line was crossed in terms of our culture and what we want to build. So we had to make a sanction."

Rosenior stressed the situation is not permanent, saying the "door is not closed" on Fernandez returning to the squad. Left-back Marc Cucurella, who also publicly questioned Maresca's dismissal, was treated as a separate case and remains available for selection following what Rosenior described as a productive conversation Thursday.

Fernandez, 25, has registered 12 goals in 46 appearances this season. His contract at Stamford Bridge runs through 2032.

Chelsea sit sixth in the Premier League with one win in their last six matches across all competitions.

Chelsea have been handed a suspended one-year transfer ban and fined £10.75 million ($14 million) by the Premier League for historical rule breaches, the league announced. The club have also received an immediate nine-month academy transfer ban.

The sanctions stem from information voluntarily shared with the league by the consortium led by American businessman Todd Boehly following their 2022 takeover from Roman Abramovich. The Premier League found that between 2011 and 2018, undisclosed payments were made by third parties associated with the club to players, unregistered agents and other third parties.

Crucially, the league determined that even had the payments been properly declared in historical financial submissions, Chelsea would not have breached profitability and sustainability rules. The club's proactive self-reporting, admissions and cooperation were cited as significant mitigating factors in determining the punishment.

Chelsea also face 74 separate alleged breaches of Football Association rules connected to the same disclosures.

The club defended its conduct throughout the process in a statement, emphasizing its voluntary cooperation.

"The club voluntarily and proactively disclosed to all applicable regulators potential historical rule breaches, including incomplete financial reporting that took place over a decade ago," Chelsea said. "From the outset of this process, the club has treated these matters with the utmost seriousness, providing full cooperation to all relevant regulators."

The suspended transfer ban means Chelsea will not be prohibited from signings unless they commit further violations within the specified period.