France appeals Olise's yellow card after replay shows no contact in Paraguay win

The French Football Federation has formally requested FIFA to overturn the yellow card shown to Michael Olise during their tense 1-0 Round of 16 victory over Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup. Sources close to the FFF confirmed the appeal was lodged late Tuesday. Olise was booked by Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev in stoppage time for an alleged altercation with Matías Galarza. However, multiple camera angles clearly show the Crystal Palace winger never made contact with the Paraguayan midfielder, who went down without any touch. This was Olise's first caution of the tournament. Should he pick up another in the quarterfinal against Morocco, he would be suspended for the semifinal — a blow France desperately wants to avoid. Adding to the controversy, Tantashev received a high match rating from FIFA's refereeing committee after the game, which raised eyebrows inside the French camp. The appeal gains traction after the United States successfully overturned a red card for Folarin Balogun earlier in the tournament, a decision that infuriated Belgium. France now hopes for similar leniency. France will face Morocco on July 9 in the quarterfinals, with Olise's availability for the next round potentially hanging on FIFA's verdict.