England defender Jarell Quansah will serve the final game of his two-match ban during Wednesday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina in Atlanta. The 23-year-old was sent off in the round-of-16 victory over Mexico following a challenge on Jesus Gallardo that was upgraded to serious foul play after a VAR review.
Red Card and VAR Controversy
Quansah's dismissal came nine minutes into the second half at the Azteca Stadium. Referee Alireza Faghani initially did not award a foul, but after consulting VAR, he deemed the challenge excessive and issued a red card. England held on to win 3-2, but the incident sparked debate.
FIFA's Article 14 mandates a two-game ban for serious foul play, which Quansah is now serving. He missed the quarter-final against Norway and will sit out the semi-final. If England reach the final, he would be eligible to play.
Tuchel's Criticism and Appeal Efforts
England manager Thomas Tuchel expressed frustration after the match. "In the game, this was not even given a foul so the referee obviously also thought that it's a hard tackle but it was ok for him to let it play," Tuchel said. "VAR came, made a decision and then, like always, I just saw the still on the screen. You cannot take decisions on a still in a football match, it's just not possible, and they did it, of course, against us."
The Football Association reportedly explored avenues to appeal the ban, drawing parallels to a controversial incident involving US forward Folarin Balogun. Balogun's red card for a challenge against Bosnia & Herzegovina was suspended for a year, allowing him to play in the USA's round-of-16 clash. US President Donald Trump personally appealed to FIFA president Gianni Infantino, securing Balogun's availability. However, a similar outcome was not achieved for England.
Defensive Options for the Semi-Final
With Quansah unavailable, Ezri Konsa deputised at right-back in the quarter-final against Norway. Other options include Reece James and Djed Spence, who could start in the semi-final against Argentina.
Quansah's Rise and World Cup Journey
Quansah joined Bayer Leverkusen last summer after 17 years at Liverpool. He made 28 Bundesliga appearances in the 2025-26 season, helping Leverkusen finish sixth. His performances earned him a surprise call-up to England's World Cup squad by Tuchel.
Before his red card, Quansah delivered assured displays against Panama and Mexico, proving his critics wrong. He also played a key role in England Under-21s' run to the European Championship final last summer.
