The boycott

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin attended the tournament's opening match in Mexico City on June 11 but refused to travel to New Jersey for Sunday's final. The decision followed a series of disagreements with FIFA, with the handling of a red-card suspension for United States forward Folarin Balogun proving to be the breaking point. Ceferin, who also serves as a FIFA vice-president, had planned to be at the Spain-Argentina finale but changed his mind after FIFA's disciplinary committee intervened.

The Balogun affair

Balogun was sent off during the round-of-32 match against Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 2. Under standard rules, the red card carried an automatic one-match ban. FIFA's disciplinary committee, chaired by Emirati official Mohammad al-Kamali, suspended that ban after US President Donald Trump telephoned FIFA president Gianni Infantino to request the reversal. UEFA issued a statement calling the move "unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable" and said FIFA had "crossed a red line" by allowing, at minimum, the perception of political interference.

“Unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable.”

The decision drew sharp criticism from several European federations. Belgium's football association posted the message "overturn this" after its 4-1 victory over the United States in the next round.

“Overturn this.”

Other grievances

The Balogun case was not the only source of friction. Ceferin had already criticised FIFA's high ticket prices, warning they risked "taking the game away" from dedicated fans. UEFA has pledged that at least 40% of tickets for Euro 2028 will cost approximately £60 or less and will not use dynamic pricing. He also took issue with FIFA's failure to secure US entry for Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan, who was denied a visa and could not officiate at the tournament. Two days after Artan was sent home, UEFA announced he would referee the Super Cup final between Paris Saint-Germain and Aston Villa on August 12.

European delegates raised concerns about the geopolitical management of matches involving Iran, and Ceferin opposed the expansion to 48 teams, arguing it lowered the technical level. UEFA also rejected halftime entertainment shows that extended the break to a record 27 minutes 22 seconds, more than double the usual interval, and does not apply the VAR mistaken-identity protocol that led to Swiss forward Breel Embolo's red card in the quarter-finals. FIFA's proposal to expand the World Cup to 64 teams is another point of contention.

The final and aftermath

Spain won their second World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over Argentina in extra time. The match was tense and defensive, with Argentina's Enzo Fernandez receiving a red card for a late challenge on Pau Cubarsi in stoppage time. After the final whistle, midfielder Leandro Paredes was also sent off for confronting Spain players, and defender Nahuel Molina had a separate confrontation with Spain captain Rodri. Assistant coach Roberto Ayala's behaviour will be reviewed. Some Argentina players reportedly turned their backs during the trophy presentation. FIFA has opened an investigation into the team's conduct.