Two U.S. soccer staff members were quietly suspended by FIFA for Monday’s match against Belgium.
Without public explanation from FIFA, team manager Sam Zapatka and U.S. Soccer Federation vice president of security Frank Pannell were banned.
The suspensions were announced on FIFA’s disciplinary previews for Monday’s game, but they did not make it until the third edition.
FIFA first posted about Folarin Balogun’s red card, then removed Balogun in the second edition, before adding the US staff members for the third.
These are the only two updates to a disciplinary preview so far this World Cup.
When asked, the USSF did not say why the two were unavailable for the Round of 16 match. However, the organization told the Associated Press it was not related to Folarin Balogun’s suspended red card.
Zapatka has been team manager since 2020 and with the USSF since 2015.
He was the one in charge of telling players they made the 2026 World Cup team, and was on the sideline for the four USMNT games before Monday.
Pannell worked for the Secret Service and CIA before entering private security.
The USMNT made headlines this week for FIFA allowing Balogun to play against Belgium, despite receiving a red card against Bosnia-Herzegovina that comes with a one-game suspension.
FIFA used Article 27 of its disciplinary code to suspend Balogun’s one-match ban after President Donald Trump called FIFA president Gianni Infantino as part of a US Soccer push.
Infantino corroborated the call, but said it had no effect on FIFA’s decision, which was made by an independent committee.
UEFA, the Union of European Football Associations, released a statement calling the decision “unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.”
Belgium shared the sentiment and was “investigating all potential options” for its reversal before the game.
The ruling ended up not mattering as the Monaco striker recorded just one shot on goal in a 4-1 thwarting by Belgium.
