UEFA chief Ceferin skips World Cup final in protest

The president of European football's governing body, UEFA, boycotted the World Cup final in New Jersey on July - a significant public protest reflecting deep tensions between UEFA and the global federation, FIFA. Aleksander Ceferin's absence from the championship match between Spain and Argentina capped weeks of public discord over FIFA's handling of the tournament, with a central point of contention being the suspension of a red card for United States striker Folarin Balogun.

The controversy began when U.S. President Donald Trump called FIFA President Gianni Infantino to request a review of Balogun's sending-off. FIFA's disciplinary committee subsequently suspended the player's one-match ban, allowing him to play in a knockout round match against Belgium. UEFA issued a statement calling the decision "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable" and said it "crossed a red line," raising concerns about political influence over sporting regulations.

Further friction arose from FIFA's inability to intervene in matters of U.S. immigration policy. Somali referee Omar Artan was refused entry to the United States by authorities, forcing his withdrawal from the tournament. In...