England star banned for two World Cup games as Thomas Tuchel dealt major blow for Norway

Jarell Quansah Handed Two-Match Ban as England Face FIFA Controversy

By Sports Reporter & Patrick Austen-Hardy, Senior Sports Journalist
17:45, 09 Jul 2026 | Updated 18:08, 09 Jul 2026

England defender Jarell Quansah has been hit with a two-game suspension after his red card in the Three Lions’ victory over Mexico—a major blow for manager Thomas Tuchel, who will now be without the centre-back for Saturday’s quarter-final showdown with Norway and, should they progress, a potential semi-final.

While red cards usually carry an automatic one-match ban, Quansah has been handed an extended punishment.

The Football Association is expected to be furious over the decision, particularly given FIFA’s recent controversial move to suspend Folarin Balogun’s red-card ban following direct intervention from US President Donald Trump—allowing the striker to feature for the United States.

That decision has thrown FIFA into disarray, with the governing body now facing accusations of favouritism. Quansah was sent off after a VAR review of his challenge on Mexico’s Jesús Gallardo.

Quansah was sent off for a reckless challenge(Image: FIFA via Getty Images)

World Cup regulations do not allow for direct appeals, but the FA had been exploring their options in light of FIFA’s lenient treatment of Balogun—especially after Trump personally contacted FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Those efforts have gone nowhere, and FIFA’s disciplinary committee has now imposed a two-match suspension on the England defender, as reported by the Mirror.

The committee holds the power to determine the length of such bans, and Quansah’s tackle was classified as “serious foul play”—the reason for the extended punishment.

The situation stands in stark contrast to Balogun’s case. The Monaco forward was originally set to miss the USA’s round-of-16 clash against Belgium due to an automatic one-match ban following his red card. However, after Trump’s call to Infantino, the suspension was deferred for a full year.

Infantino has insisted that Trump’s phone call played no role in the outcome, maintaining that an independent disciplinary commission reached the decision on its own. Nevertheless, the move has sparked outrage across the football world.

In the end, Balogun’s availability had little impact on the result, as Belgium comfortably dispatched the hosts 4-1. Now, with Quansah sidelined, Tuchel must quickly move on from the Bayer Leverkusen loanee and find an alternative solution.

Reece James would be an ideal replacement, but the Chelsea captain has not featured since the goalless draw with Ghana, having been plagued by a recurring hamstring issue.

The England boss could also shift Ezri Konsa to right-back and bring John Stones back into central defence alongside Marc Guéhi.

Djed Spence is another option, though the Tottenham man struggled during England’s comeback victory over DR Congo when he started. Trevoh Chalobah—called up as a replacement for the injured Tino Livramento—could also be in contention for a starting berth.