FIFA suspended two US men's national team staffers for Belgium game

Two U.S. men's national team staff members were suspended by FIFA for the team's World Cup round of 16 match against Belgium on Monday.

Team manager Sam Zapatka and U.S. Soccer Federation vice president of security Frank Pannell weren't allowed at the match, multiple media ‌outlets reported ⁠on Tuesday. FIFA ⁠reportedly handed out the suspensions pregame on Monday without specifying an exact reason.

The U.S. Soccer Federation also didn't address the cause behind the punishment, though it did say it was unrelated to the federation's work that resulted in Folarin Balogun's red-card suspension getting pushed back.


According to ESPN, the ⁠two were ‌sanctioned regarding a violation of FIFA match protocols ​as well ​as people having access to areas where ⁠they shouldn't have been. Per the report, no ​physical dispute occurred.

Balogun started on Monday, a ​match the U.S. lost 4-1 to Belgium.

Front Office Sports reported that the cause of the two suspensions might have been Balogun coming back onto the field on July 1 to celebrate the United States' 2-0 win over Bosnia ‌and Herzegovina in Santa Clara, Calif.

Balogun was sent off for a bad tackle in the ​second half ​of the ⁠Bosnia game, and players who receive a red card are not allowed to return to the pitch during or after that contest.

Per ​multiple media outlets, Zapatka joined U.S. Soccer in 2015 and has been in his current job since 2020.

In an April article, Seton Hall University newspaper The Setonian wrote that Pannell previously worked for the Secret Service, the CIA and in the private sector.