Fans attending the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 express anger over what they describe as inconsistent refereeing decisions. NDTV reports that supporters react to a red card shown to Folarin Balogun and compare it with a prior incident involving Lionel Messi, arguing that similar fouls appear to receive different treatment. A second set of fan complaints centers on a red card shown to the United States, with supporters also pointing to perceived disparities in how red cards are issued.
Across the reports, the core allegation is not that the referee decisions are definitively wrong, but that they look inconsistent when judged against other comparable challenges and earlier on-field incidents. The coverage reflects public debate among fans rather than any formal ruling or disciplinary outcome from FIFA. The reports do not provide additional details such as match officials, video review decisions, or disciplinary statements. Instead, they focus on crowd reaction and the comparison fans make between high-profile incidents during the tournament and World Cup matches involving major players.
