France has formally appealed to FIFA to overturn the yellow card shown to winger Michael Olise, arguing that the caution was issued unfairly during the team's match against Paraguay.
The appeal comes shortly after FIFA suspended the implementation of a one-match ban imposed on United States forward Florian Balogun, a decision that has sparked widespread debate during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to the French Football Federation, Olise received a yellow card after an incident involving Paraguay's Matías Galarza.
The federation said video replays showed Olise had only grabbed Galarza's shirt rather than his face, arguing that the referee's decision was unjustified.
Concern over possible suspension
The French federation said overturning the booking is important because another yellow card could rule Olise out of a potential World Cup semi-final.
Officials stressed that the appeal is aimed solely at correcting what they believe was an incorrect disciplinary decision.
The French Football Federation said its request should not be linked to the controversy surrounding Balogun.
It maintained that the appeal is about ensuring fairness and has no connection to FIFA's recent decision involving the United States forward.
Balogun decision remains controversial
Balogun had been due to serve a one-match suspension after receiving a red card against Bosnia, which would have ruled him out of the United States' Round of 16 match against Belgium.
However, FIFA later suspended the implementation of the ban, making the striker eligible for selection.
Belgium challenged the decision, but FIFA's Appeal Committee ruled that the Royal Belgian Football Association did not have the legal standing to appeal because it was not a party to the disciplinary case.
