🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚: The Royal Belgian Football Association has released a statement in regard to Folarin Balogun being able to play against them.
"The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA) is astonished by FIFA's decision to declare suspended United States player Folarin Balogun eligible to play in the USA–Belgium match on Monday, 6 July at 5:00 p.m. (Seattle time)."
"FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction."
"However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup."
"Furthermore, and irrespective of the above, the decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5:
"If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team's subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed."
"The automatic nature of such a suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, which was distributed to all participating member associations on 12 May 2026."
"The same rule is reiterated at every FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Coordination Meeting prior to each match and is included in all FIFA World Cup 2026 workshop presentations.
"In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options."
🚨Well respected journalist Guillem Balague speaking on Arsenal… you’re going to want to read this!
“Let me tell you what everyone is saying about Arsenal across Europe.
“Arsenal are not seen here as a team that has stalled. They are seen as a reference point. As the team many look at when trying to understand where elite football is heading.
“The game has shifted, it is no longer enough to dominate the ball or to attack well. The top sides now compete in, and often decide matches through, the four phases that make teams excellent: organised attack, attacking transition, defensive transition and structured defence. At the highest level, those phases matter more than possession percentages or aesthetic debates.
“This is where Arsenal stand out.
“Under Mikel Arteta, Arsenal control space, time and another very important element, rhythm. They are aggressive without being chaotic, but can create chaos to find gaps, they are compact without being passive. Their pressing is prepared in detail, lose the ball and the reaction is immediate. The opponent is denied oxygen.
“Across Europe, this is understood as modern dominance.
“The key battleground today is transition. Not what you do with the ball, but what happens the instant you lose it. Defensive rhythm has overtaken offensive rhythm. Space is smaller and time is shorter. The teams that survive are the ones that arrive first, win duels, plus reset order before danger appears.
“Arsenal do this as well as anyone.
“In Europe, Arsenal are seen as a team that has absorbed Guardiola’s ideas and pushed them forward, they have strengthened them for a football world that now plays faster, presses harder, and it totally punishes hesitation.
“At the very moment Arsenal are being questioned at home, they are being analysed as a model.
“Progress is often uncomfortable and it rarely moves in straight lines. Arsenal don’t look lost. In my eyes they look early!”
•Broke up with his girlfriend just to move to London and play for Arsenal
• Rejected Manchester United and also the chance to reunite with his former coach, Amorim. United offered a higher transfer fee to Sporting and a better salary than we did.
• Rejected a salary offer from a Saudi club which triples what he currently earns at Arsenal.
• Gave up €3m of his salary with Sporting just to push for a move to Arsenal.
All of the sacrifices just to be hated by the fan base of the club he did everything to join.
I’ll back you till the very end. Viktor Einar Gyökeres.
I'm 31 years old, I've seen Arsenal play some of the best football in Europe. Wengerball was a beautiful sight, it was fluid, quick, attractive football and beautiful on the eyes. Yet, it was married to finishing 4th, with the odd 2nd or 3rd thrown in for a bit of flair. Big games over and over, being beaten by our rivals time after time. 5-1 at Anfield, 6-0 at Stamford Bridge, 8-2 at Old Trafford, home and away being thrashed by Man City.
So tell me why I've now got every media outlet & jounralist looking for a clicks telling me I shouldn't be happy with what I'm seeing?
"1-0 to The Arsenal" or "Boring boring Arsenal", this isn't a new part of the game, this is Arsenal's history.
Social media are more than happy to talk about some of the best defences in the Premier League. Ferdinand/Vidic, Terry/Carvalho, Adams/Keown, Campbell, Van Dijk, Kompany. Or Chelsea only conceding 15 in a season, a remarkable feat.
Liverpool being crown "set piece kings" a few years ago during the title run, Chelsea having a piece done by Jamie Carragher about how Champions use set pieces during a title run - By now it's an issue? An issue much less brought up Jamie Carragher himself.
For years Arsenal were beaten by physical teams, lesser teams would play Arsenal with the pure intention of kicking us off the park. But now, we're too physical?
Arsenal go play defensive away to big teams, get accused of not going for a win or being "scared" - Yet no one talks about Haaland playing CB during Man City's trip to Arsenal this season?
Arsenal go all out attack and try to go toe to toe with teams we weren't simply as good as a few years ago & get beaten. Arteta is "out his depth" or Arsenal aren't good enough - Yet, when do you ever see a team go to Arsenal and attack us for a game? Man City tried and lost 5-1. PSG had Donarumma to thank for not leaving the 1st leg with a defeat.
When it's Arsenal who are the ones being beat or being treated like the little boys of the league, the media are quick to paint Arteta as the bad guy or find a fake story about a possible squad fall out. But when it's Arsenal being the bullies, dominating the game and acting like a big club should, suddenly it's an issue?
You can keep your days of beautiful football with Fabregas, Hleb, Nasri, Rosicky, Wilshere, Arshavin, Diaby etc.
You can keep your horrid defence of Sokratis, Luiz, Chambers, Cedric, Lichtsteiner, Mustafi.
The squad as a whole right now is one of the best squads Arsenal Football Club have ever had. It is completely unfathomable to me that this squad do not win silverware - And when we do, I cannot wait for every single media outlet to have to post their graphics that 70% of our goals were set plays. I can't wait for them to have to make graphics of Mikel Arteta lifting the Premier League trophy.
We are nine games into the season, we have won 7, drawn 1, and lost 1. We have won our opening two Champions League matches without even conceding a goal. We have kept six clean sheets and scored 18 goals. We are second in the table, having already played at Old Trafford, Anfield, St James Park, and Manchester City at home.
We have accomplished all of this while integrating numerous new players and losing key ones, such as Saka, Odegaard, Saliba, and Havertz.
If you're moaning at this, then give your head a wobble. Whilst it hasn't been pretty in some games, we are winning matches, and that's all you should care about. Mikel is cooking, and I'm excited about it.
🚨Howard Webb BUSTED on Sky Sports Mic’d Up, he said “NO REASON” to give Gyökeres' penalty against Newcastle🤔
However, earlier clips regarding Lamptey’s penalty on Jesus and Saliba’s penalty against Brighton last season, he said the complete opposite......have the PGMOL been EXPOSED?
📲- https://t.co/UvPdjfuTvA
Last season when Saliba headed the ball first against Brighton Howard Webb said a “slight touch” isn’t enough to overturn the penalty.
Today, he called Nick Pope's touch 'clear' therefore making it not a foul.
What are the rules? He's a danger to the game.
🚨📺 Arteta: “For me it was a penalty… we were told unless it’s clear and obvious VAR won’t intervene. Thank God we found a way to win”.
@BeanymanSports 🎥
Last week Mbuemo knocks the ball past Sanchez and is fouled. The ball deflects off Sanchez in the process. Straight red card.
This week Gyokeres knocks the ball past Pope and is fouled. The ball deflects off Pope in the process. VAR say no penalty, no card, not even a foul.